THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH 
IN  SCOTLAND 


.     THE 

PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES 


DIVISIONS  AND  UNIONS 
IN  SCOTLAND,  IRELAND, 
CANADA    AND    AMERICA 


V 


HOy  30X910 

JOHN  VANT  STEPHENS,  D.D. 

Chairman  of  the  Faculty  and  Professor  of  Church  History  in  the 

Presbyterian  Theological  Seminary  of  the  South 

and  Southwest 


PHILADELPHIA 
THE  PRESBYTERIAN  BOARD  OF  PUBLICATION 

1910 


Copyright,  1910,  by 

The  Trustees  of  The   Presbyterian  Board  of 
Publication  and  Sabbath  School  Work 


Published  May,  1910 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 

Chapter  Page 

I.     The  Presbyterian  Church  in  .Scotland       .      .  1 

II.     The  Presbyterian  Church  in  Ireland   .      .      .  39 

III.  The  Presbyterian  Church  in  Canada    ...  57 

IV.  The  Presbyterian  Church  in  America  ...  75 

Appendix 110 

Index 11'^ 


111 


AN  EXPLANATORY  WORD 

It  is  not  the  purpose  of  the  author  to 
record  a  complete  history  of  the  various 
Presbyterian  and  Reformed  churches  in 
Scotland,  Ireland,  Canada  and  the  United 
States  of  America.  He  has  resisted  the 
temptation  to  make  a  thick  book.  His  ob- 
ject is  to  give  a  brief  outline  only,  by  state- 
ment and  diagram,  of  the  origins,  divisions 
and  unions,  which  will  enable  the  reader 
readily  to  trace  the  continuity  of  these  vari- 
ous bodies.  Almost  everyone  who  under- 
takes to  study  the  history  of  these  organiza- 
tions, as  related  one  to  another,  would  be 
grateful  for  a  plain,  simple  statement,  writ- 
ten with  the  purpose  of  keeping  the  identity 
of  each  church  clearly  in  view.  It  is  to  this 
task  that  the  author  has  set  himself.  To 
the  short,  descriptive  outlines  are  appended 


vi        THE  PRESBYTERLIX  CHURCHES 

diagrams,  or  charts.  Tvliich  will  enable  the 
reader  to  trace,  with  the  eye,  the  movements 
which  affect  the  continnity  of  a  chnrch. 

It  is  believed  that  a  brief  statement,  in 
which  the  reader  can  follow  easily  the 
streams  of  Presbyterian  history,  as  they  flow 
separately  or  together,  will  be  welcomed  by 
those  who  are  interested  in  Presbyterianism, 
and  yet  have  not  the  time  to  consult  the  volu- 
minous literature  bearing  on  the  subject. 

A  preliminary  edition  of  this  little  work 
was  printed  some  time  ago.  Copies  were 
sent  to  representative  men  on  both  sides 
of  the  Atlantic,  including  the  leading  his- 
torians in  these  churches.  Among  those 
who  were  land  enough  to  examine  the  work, 
and  to  make  helpful  suggestions,  mention 
may  be  made  of  the  following :  C.  G.  McC  rie, 
D.D.:  Prof.  James  Orr,  D.D.:  Edward  T. 
Corwin,  D.D. ;  James  I.  Good,  D.D. :  William 
Gregg,  D.D.;  Eobert  Christie,  D.D.;  John  A. 
Wilson,  D.D.;  A.  G.  Wallace.  D.D.;  John 
McXaugher,  D.D.,  LL.D.:  Edward  W.  Mil- 


AX  EXPLANATORY  AVORD  ^i 

ler.  D.D.;  Thomas  C.  Johnson,  D.D.:  Samuel 
J.  Xiccolls.  D.D..  LL.D. :  Charles  L.  Thomp- 
son, D.D.,  LL.D.:  Henry  C.  McCook.  D.D.. 
Sc.D.,  LL.D.:  Andrew  B.  Baird.  D.D. 
LL.D. :  William  H.  Roberts,  D.D..  LL.D..  and 
General  Ealph  E.  Prime. 

The  author  has  profited  by  the  suggestions 
received,  and  it  is  believed  that  the  book  as 
now  issued  can  l^e  relied  on  as  an  accurate 
and  clear  statement  of  the  facts  with  which 

it  deals. 

The  Ai'thor 
Lebanon,  Tenn.. 
Januarv  20,  1910. 


THE 
PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES 

CHAPTER  I 

THE    PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH    IN    SCOTLAND 

The  gospel  was  preached  in  Scotland  at  a 
very  early  date,  and  in  a  comparatively  free 
and  pure  form.  It  does  not  seem  probable 
that  the  Cnldee  Church  contained  anything 
like  diocesan  episcopacy.  The  Church  of 
Rome  began  to  make  inroads  on  the  native 
church  early  in  the  seventh  century.  After 
the  Norman  conquest  of  England  large  num- 
bers of  Saxon  exiles  found  their  way  into 
Scotland.  ^^  These  exiles  were  headed  and 
accompanied  by  what  remained  of  the  Saxon 
royal  family,  and  particularly  by  a  young 
prince  named  Edgar  Ethling,  who  was  a 
near  kinsman  of  Edward  the  Confessor,  and 

the  heir  of  this  throne,  but  dispossessed  by 

1 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES 

the  Norman  conqueror."  This  prince  took 
with  him  to  Scotland  two  sisters,  named 
Margaret  and  Christian.  They  were  re- 
ceived with  great  kindness  by  King  Malcohn 
III  (Canmore),  who  made  the  Princess  Mar- 
garet his  wife  about  1067.  Margaret  was  a 
devout  member  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
Church.  As  Queen  of  Scotland  she  intro- 
duced various  religious  customs,  while  her 
charity  to  the  poor  was  unbounded. 
Through  her  and  the  large  number  of  court- 
iers that  followed  her  to  Scotland  from  Eng- 
land, the  pope  was  able  in  the  last  half  of 
the  eleventh  century  to  impress  strongly  the 
Roman  type  of  Christianity  upon  the  Scot- 
tish Church.  In  view  of  this  fact  Margaret 
was  canonized  in  1250,  and  became  the  pa- 
tron saint  of  Scotland. 

THE   REFORMATION 

The  battle  of  Bannockburn,  in  1314,  led 
to  the  treaty  of  Northampton,  in  1328,  in 
which  the  independence  of  Scotland  was  rec- 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  SCOTLAND 

ognized  by  England.  The  sturdiness  and  pa- 
triotism of  the  Scotch,  remarkable  before, 
were  enhanced  by  this  victory.  Owing  to 
the  intimate  relations  existing  between  con- 
tinental countries  and  Scotland,  the  latter 
received  the  continental  type  of  the  Keforma- 
tion,  rather  than  the  English  type.  The  ef- 
forts of  Wycliife  and  Huss,  however,  had 
sensibly  affected  the  Scottish  Church.  The 
Reformation  in  Scotland  was  far  more  radi- 
cal than  it  was  in  England.  In  the  latter 
country  the  crown  and  bishops  favored  the 
type  of  Reformation  there  introduced,  while 
in  the  former  country  the  people  and  many 
of  the  great  feudal  lords  took  the  lead  in  the 
Reformation. 

The  attempts  at  reform  preceding  1557 
may  be  characterized  as  a  series  of  sporadic 
outbreaks  of  opposition  against  the  Romish 
system,  by  individuals.  Patrick  Hamilton 
began  preaching  reform  in  1528,  and  was  V 
seized  and  burned.  George  Wi shard  ap- 
peared fifteen  years   later  and   shared  the 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES 

same  fate.     In  1557  ^'the  first  covenant"  was 
subscribed  by  a  number  of  distinguished  gen- 

,  tlemen.  In  this  covenant  they  promised  to 
apply  their  very  lives  in  order  that  they 
might  ^'maintain,  set  forward  and  establish 
the  most  blessed  word  of  God,  and  his  con- 
gregation." Those  who  signed  this  cove- 
nant were  called  ''the  Lords  of  _the_Congre- 
g^ation,"  the  ''Congregation"  consisting  of 
the  peojDle  who  adhered  to  them.  "The 
Lords  of  the  Congregation,"  the  ministers 
who  favored  reform,  and  the  "Congrega- 
tion" all  joined  in  a  vigorous  campaign  for 
the  promotion  of  the  Keformation. 
In  1538,  James  V  of  Scotland  was  married 

^to  Mary  of  Guise,  of  France.  Of  this  union 
Mary  Queen  of  Scots  was  born  in  1542. 
James  died,  and  Mary  was  crowned  before 
she  was  a  year  old.  The  regency  was  com- 
mitted to  her  mother.  The  young  queen  was 
sent  to  France  to  be  educated,  and  in  her 
sixteenth  year  she  was  married  to  the  dau- 
phin, who  afterward  reigned  for  a  short  time 

4 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  SCOTLAND 

as  Francis  II  of  France.  By  this  marriage 
it  was  the  hope  of  the  queen  regent  and  the 
Catholic  court  of  France  to  unite  the  crowns 
of  Scotland  and  France,  and  so  make  Scot- 
land a  permanent  Catholic  country.  But 
^^the  Protestant  party,  bound  together  by  the 
covenant  above  mentioned,  and  renewed  in 
1559  as  ^^the  second  covenant,"  stood  in  the 
way.  The  queen  regent  temporized  for  a 
time,  but  finally  called  to  her  aid  French  sol- 
diers. The  safety  of  England  being  thus 
threatened,  Elizabeth  was  compelled  to  dis- 
patch an  army  to  repel  the  French  invasion. 
The  result  was  a  victory  for  Protestantism. 
The  queen  regent  died  in  June,  1560,  and  the 
same  year  a  Confession,  drawn  up  by  John 
Knox  and  others,  was  presented  to  the  Scotch 
Parliament,  which  sanctioned  it  in  August, 
and  a  few  days  later  proclaimed  the  Ke- 
formed  faith  to  be  the  religion  of  Scotland. 
This  was  before  the  death  of  Francis  II,  in 
December,  1560,  so  a  messenger  was  sent  to 
Paris  to  obtain  the  ratification  of  the  act, 

5 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES 

by  the  queen  and  the  consort  king;  but  this 
attempt  was  unsuccessful.  Francis  soon 
died,  and  Mary  returned  to  Scotland,  in 
August,  1561. 

PRESBYTERIANISM    ESTABLISHED 

Parliament  had  abrogated  papal  jurisdic- 
tion; but  it  had,  as  yet,  enacted  no  ecclesias- 
tical jurisdiction  in  its  stead.  The  first  Gen- 
eral Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  Church 
^y  convened  later  in  1560,  and  appointed  a  com- 
mittee to  draft  the  First  Book  of  Discipline, 
which  was  subsequently  adopted.  But  a  dis- 
agreement now  arose  between  the  Eeformers 
and  the  Protestant  nobility  Jjl  reference  to 
the  disposition  of  the  patrimony,  which  had 
heretofore  gone  to  the  support  of  the  Eoman 
hierarch}^  The  young  queen,  who  was  in- 
tensely Catholic,  was  quick  to  seize  the  ad- 
vantage which  this  dispute  afforded  her.  It 
was  not  until  1567,  after  the  queen's  con- 
duct had  outraged  all  sense  of  propriety,  that 
Parliament  ^^  ratified  all  the  acts  which  had 

6 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  SCOTLAND 

been  passed  in  1560,  in  favor  of  the  Protes- 
tant religion  and  against  popery.''  The  ec- 
clesiastical jurisdiction  exercised  by  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly  of  the  church  was  formally 
ratified.  This  constituted  the  Presbyterian 
Church  the  Established  Church  of  the 
realm.  An  act  was  also  passed  providing 
for  the  support  of  the  church. 

In  the  settlement  of  pastors  there  was  re- 
served ^^the  presentation  of  lay  patronages 
to  the  ancient  patrons,"  which  became  a 
source  of  much  trouble  to  Scotch  Presby- 
terianism.  This  will  be  considered  here- 
after. Owing  to  the  necessity  of  the  case,  the 
country  had  been  divided  into  departments, 
and  over  each  had  been  placed  a  minister 
who  was  known  as  superintendent.  In  1572 
the  regent  of  James  VI  called  a  convention 
of  these  superintendents  and  others,  in  order 
that  some  means  might  be  devised  to  control 
the  wealth  which  had  formerly  flowed  into 
the  lap  of  the  Roman  Church.     A  plan  was 

inaugurated  according  to  which  the  titles  of 

7 


THE  PRESBYTEKIAN  CHURCHES 

archbishops,  bishops,  etc.,  should  remain  in 
force,  but  it  was  stipulated  that  these  offi- 
cials should  be  subject  to  the  General  Assem- 
bly. This  unpresbyterian  act  proved  to  be 
another  source  of  trouble  to  the  church. 

UNION   OF   CROWNS 

The  crowns  of  Scotland  and  England  were 
united,  in  1603,  when  James  VI  of  Scotland 
became  James  I  of  England,  thus  substi- 
tuting, in  England,  the  Stuart  for  the  Tudor 
dynasty.  After  this  followed  a  long  strug- 
gle in  which  the  crown  endeavored  to  enforce 
episcopacy  upon  the  Scotch  Church.  It  was 
a  life-and-death  struggle.  In  1638  a  national 
covenant  was  circulated,  which  was  signed 
largely  by  all  classes,  pledging  the  people  to 
resist  the  unlawful  course  of  the  crown.  The 
Scotch  resisted  force  with  force.  In  1643 
/'The  Solemn  League  and  Covenant,''  some- 
times  confused  with  ''The  National  Cove- 
nant," was  circulated  both  in  Scotland  and 

in   England.     The   object   of   this   covenant 

8 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  SCOTLAND 

was  to  free  England  as  well  as  Scotland  from 
episcopacy.  ""The  Westminster  Assembly 
convened  in  1643,  and  continued  its  sittings 
until  1648,  having  sat  1,163  times.  Scotland, 
through  her  six  commissioners  in  this  Assem- 
bly, helped  to  make  the  Westminster  Confes- 
sion of  Faith,  after  which  the  General 
Assembly  of  the  Established  Church  of  Scot- 
land accepted  it,  in  1647,  on  the  understand- 
ing that  it  was  ^4n  nothing  contrary  to  the 
received  doctrines,  worship,  discipline  and 
government  of  this  Kirk." 

The  monarchy  disappeared  in  1649,  with 
Charles  I.  The  Commonwealth  and  then  the 
Protectorate  were  recognized  until  1660, 
when  the  monarchy  was  restored  and  Charles 
II  was  placed  on  the  throne.  He  was  fol- 
lowed, in  1685,  by  James  II.  During  all  of 
these  years  the  Scotch  Church  had  an  uneven 
contest  in  trying  to  maintain  pure  Presbyte- 
rianism.  In  1669  what  was  known  as  ^'the 
first  indulgence"  was  enacted,  and  this  was 
followed  iu  1672  by  ^4he  second  indulgence." 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES 

Doubtless  one  object  of  these  ''indulgences" 
was  to  effect  a  division  in  the  Presbyterian 
forces,  and  in  this  it  was  successful. 

WILLIAM    III   AND    MARY 

The  revolution  drove  James  II  from  the 
throne,  and  placed  thereon  William,  Prince 
of  Orange,  and  Mary,  the  daughter  of  James. 
William  was  a  sturdy  Dutch  Presbyterian, 
and  is  the  only  genuine  Presbyterian  who 
was  ever  recognized  as  the  head  of  the 
church.  He  showed  a  saneness  of  judgment 
in  reference  to  religious  tolerance,  which  does 
great  credit  to  his  heart  as  well  as  to  his 
head.  Possibly  he  inherited  this  disposition 
from  his  renowned  ancestor,  William  the  Si- 
lent. 

REFORMED,   OR   COVENANTING,    CHURCH 

As  a  result  of  divisions  among  the  Presby- 
terians, caused  partly  by  ''the  indulgences," 
at  the  time  of  the  Revolution  Settlement  there 
were  three  well-defined  parties  in  the  Estab- 

10 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  SCOTLAND 

lislied  Church  of  Scotland,  viz.,  about  sixty 
ministers  who  had  been  ejected  from  their 
charges  at  the  beginning  of  the  persecution  in 
1661,  and  who  were  now  the  proper  repre- 
sentatives of  the  Church  of  the  Second  Eef- 
ormation;  three  ministers  who  represented 
the  ^^Cameronians,"  or  ^^Covenanters," 
known  later  as  ^'Reformed  Presbyterians"; 
and  more  than  double  the  number  of  minis- 
ters in  these  two  classes,  who  had  more  or 
less  conformed  to  prelacy  at  some  time  dur- 
ing the  persecution,  and  who  had  accepted 
the  ^indulgences,"  above  mentioned,  repre- 
senting those  who  had  ^^  become  tainted  some- 
what with  a  tendency  to  laxity  and  indiffer- 
ence in  doctrine,  discipline  and  government. '  ^ 
But  the  three  ministers  of  the  second  class 
approved  the  Revolution  Settlement,  so  the 
** Covenanters"  were  left  entirely  without 
ministers.  Having  formed  themselves  into 
** societies,"  they  met  as  best  they  could  for 
prayer  and  mutual  edification.     Occasionally 

they  had  a  minister,  but  it  was  not  until  1743 

11 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES 

that  a  presbytery  was  organized  among  them. 
The  first  division  in  Scotch  Presbyterianism 
was  now  an  accomplished  fact.  Yet  no  exact 
date  can  be  fixed  when  the  ^* Covenanters" 
withdrew  from  the  Establishment,  or  rather 
declared  that  the  Establishment  had  with- 
drawn from  them.  But  the  year  1688,  the 
time  when  William  and  Mary  reached  Eng- 
land, is  the  date  usually  named,  since  that 
year  marked  the  close  of  the  Revolution,  and 
the  ^^Covenanters"  refused  to  acknowledge 
William  and  Mary  as  king  and  queen,  *^  these 
personages  being  in  their  eyes  without  cov- 
enant qualification,  and  supporters  of  prelacy 
in  England." 

amyraut's  via  media 

This  presbytery  constituted  in  1743  was 
called  *^The  Reformed  Presbytery."  The 
presbytery  was  enlarged  into  a  synod  in 
1810.  There  have  been  two  divisions  in 
*^The  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church  in 
Scotland."    About  the  middle  of  the  seven- 

12 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  SCOTLAND 

teentli  century  Amyraut,  a  French  theolo- 
gian, ^^  boldly  propounded  the  doctrine  of 
hypothetical  grace,"  which  was  *^an  attempt 
to  find  a  middle  ground  between  Augustinian- 
ism  and  Arminianism. "  In  1749  there  was 
published  a  book  in  Scotland,  which  substan- 
tially reproduced  the  theory  of  the  conti- 
nental divine,  under  the  caption,  ^^  A  Treatise 
in  Justifying  Faith.''  In  1753  ^'The  Ee- 
formed  Presbytery"  felt  constrained  to  take 
some  action  in  reference  to  the  book.  It  was 
declared  to  contain  *^ dangerous  doctrine." 
Some  members  of  the  presbytery  withdrew 
on  account  of  this  declaration,  and  constitu- 
ted an  independent  presbytery,  under  the 
name  of  ^^The  Eeformed  Presbytery  of  Edin- 
burgh," but  all  traces  of  this  organization 
have  disappeared,  since  1817. 

DIVISION    IN    THE    REFORMED    PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH 

In  1832  the  passage  of  the  Eeform  Bill 
largely  extended  the  franchise,  after  which 
some  of  the  members  of  the  Eeformed  Pres- 

13 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES 

byterian  Churcli  were  able  to  vote.  The  pro- 
priety of  their  doing  so,  however,  was  called 
in  question.  The  synod  of  1833  gave  a  de- 
liverance to  the  effect  that  the  exercise  of 
the  franchise,  nnder  this  bill,  was  ^incon- 
sistent with  the  enjoyment  of  the  privileges 
of  this  church."  This  question  was  one  of 
more  than  passing  interest  for  a  number  of 
years.  In  1863  the  synod  virtually  reversed 
itself.  The  minority  being  dissatisfied,  with- 
drew and  formed  themselves  into  ^^The  Re- 
formed Presbyterian  Church  of  Scotland," 
the  only  difference  in  the  corporate  names 
of  the  two  churches  being  in  the  preposi- 
tions ''in"  and  ''of."  The  dissenting  body 
still  maintains  an  existence,  though  it  is  very 
weak.  The  principal  body  formed  an  or- 
ganic union,  in  1876,  with  the  Free  Church 
of  Scotland,  hereinafter  to  be  considered. 

LAY   PATRONAGE 

Another  separation  from  the  Established 
Church  occurred  in  1733,  at  which  time  "The 

14 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  SCOTLAND 

Associate  Presbytery"  was  formed.  There 
appear  to  have  been  two  causes  which  led 
to  this  division.  One  was  of  a  doctrinal  na- 
ture, which  cannot  be  discussed  in  this  trea- 
tise. Suffice  it  to  say,  however,  that  the 
cases  of  Professors  Simpson  and  Campbell, 
the  Auchterarder  Creed,  and  the  Marrow  of 
Modern  Divinity  furnished  ample  interest  in 
matters  theological  for  the  church  courts  for 
some  time.  The  second  cause,  and  perhaps 
the  main  one,  was  of  a  constitutional  nature. 
The  question  of  patronage  has  already  been 
noted.  According  to  this  law,  the  patron,  a 
landed  proprietor,  had  the  right  to  present 
a  candidate  of  his  own  choosing  to  be  in- 
ducted into  the  office  of  pastor,  when  a  va- 
cancy occurred,  irrespective  of  the  prefer- 
ences of  the  people  to  be  served. 

It  does  not  appear  that  it  was  the  design, 
in  the  beginning,  to  deprive  the  people  of 
this  right,  but  an  old,  inherited  custom  was 
followed  without  seeing  where  it  was  likely 
to  lead.    As  its  trend  became  more  ajDparent, 

15 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES 

the  Scotch  Parliament,  in  1649,  abolished 
patronage,  but  when  the  crown  resolved  to 
thrust  episcopacy  upon  Scotland,  patronage 
was  restored,  in  1661.  After  the  accession 
of  William  and  Mary,  it  was  once  more  abol- 
ished, in  1690.  The  Scottish  and  English 
Parliaments  were  united  in  1707,  at  which 
time  all  possible  precautions  were  taken  to 
safeguard  the  interest  of  the  Scottish 
Church.  But  in  1712  the  English  Tories  and 
the  Scottish  Jacobites  in  Parliament  com- 
bined and  restored  patronage,  though  the  act 
was  a  most  shameful  violation  of  the  terms 
of  the  union  a  few  years  before.  Various 
efforts  were  made  by  the  Scottish  Church  to 
throw  off  this  incubus,  but  it  was  not  able 
to  do  so.  For  the  relief  of  the  church,  a  bill 
was  introduced  in  Parliament  in  1735  to 
abolish  patronage,  but  the  measure  failed  to 
pass.  As  might  have  been  expected,  the  re- 
sult was  finally  a  clash  between  the  church 
and  the  state,  the  latter  having  to  resort  to 
force  in  some  instances,  to  compel  the  former 

16 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  SCOTLAND 

to  yield;  and  as  might  have  been  expected, 
too,  the  church  became  divided  on  the  issue. 

THE  ASSOCIATE,   OR   SECESSION,    CHURCH, 

So  ^'The  Associate  Presbytery"  was 
formed,  and  it  rapidly  took  hold  of  the  pop- 
ular sympathies.  By  October,  1744,  it  had 
grown  to  such  dimensions  that  it  was  divided 
into  three  ]3resbyteries,  under  the  jurisdic- 
tion of  ^'The  Associate  Synod."  About  this 
time,  controversy  found  its  way  into  the  new 
church  on  the  question  of  renewing  the  na- 
tional bonds  and  approving  the  burgess  oath. 
This  oath  contained  a  clause,  ^^the  true  re- 
ligion presently  professed  within  this  realm," 
exacted  only  in  Edinburgh,  Glasgow  and 
Perth,  which  was  differently  construed. 
One  party  regarded  the  language  as  merely 
an  approval  of  the  true  religion,  without 
committing  one  to  an  approval  of  the  partic- 
ular manner  in  which  it  was  professed  in 
Scotland;  while  the  other  faction  regarded 

the  language  as  expressing  an  approval  of 

17 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES 

the  existing  Establishment  with  all  of  its 
doctrinal  errors  and  violations  of  the  consti- 
tution. 

BURGHER  AND   ANTI-BURGHER 

Those  favorable  to  the  former  construc- 
tion finally  proved  to  be  in  the  majority. 
They  continued  to  be  known  as  ''The  Asso- 
ciate Synod/'  while  the  minority  which  had 
withdrawn  in  1747,  organized  ''The  General 
Associate  Synod."  The  two  parties  were 
respectively  known  as  "Burgher"  and 
"Anti-Burgher."  Further  trouble  was  in 
store  for  both  organizations.  In  1799,  be- 
cause of  a  difference  of  opinion  in  reference 
to  the  province  of  the  civil  magistrate,  three 
ministers  and  three  elders  from  the  Burgher 
Church  formed  an  independent  presbytery, 
which  was  known  as  "Old  Light,"  while  the 
body  from  which  they  withdrew  was  known 
as  "New  Light."  A  controversy,  somewhat 
of  the  same  nature,  disturbed  "The  General 
Associate  Synod,"  or  Anti-Burgher  Church. 

18 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  SCOTLAND 

In  1806,  four  ministers  withdrew  from  the 
jurisdiction  of  the  synod,  and  organized  an 
independent  body,  which  was  called  the  ' '  Old 
Light  Anti-Burgher,"  while  the  synod  from 
which  they  withdrew  was  called  ^^New  Light 
Anti-Burgher."  The  two  New  Light  bodies 
were  drawn  together,  and  in  1820,  formed  an 
organic  union  as  ^'The  United  Secession 
Synod  of  the  Secession  Church."  It  was 
from  this  church  that  the  Evangelical  Union 
withdrew  in  1843,  which  was  finally  absorbed 
by  the  Congregationalists. 

THE   UNITED   PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH 

In  1847,  ^^The  United  Secession  Synod" 
entered  into  a  union  with  the  Eelief  Church, 
hereinafter  to  be  considered,  and  was  known 
as  ^^The  Synod  of  the  United  Presbyterian 
Church."  This  United  Church,  in  1900, 
formed  a  union  with  the  Free  Church  of 
Scotland,  which  will  receive  notice  in  the 
proper  place. 

In  the  meantime  the  Old  Light  Burgher 

19 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES 

Churcli  conducted  negotiations  looking  to  a 
union  with  the  Established  Church,  which  re- 
sulted in  1839  in  about  three-fourths  of  the 
members  of  that  church  uniting  with  the  Es- 
tablished Church.  The  one-fourth  perpetu- 
ated the  existence  of  the  body  until  1842, 
when  a  union  was  formed  with  the  Old  Light 
Anti-Burghers,  the  new  organization  taking 
the  name  of  ^ '  The  Synod  of  the  United  Orig- 
inal Secession  Church."  This  latter  church 
by  a  very  small  majority  determined  to  unite 
with  the  General  Assembly  of  the  Free 
Church.  This  union  was  accomplished  in 
1852.  The  non-union  minority  have  perpet- 
uated the  name  of  the  United  Original  Se- 
cession Church,  but  it  has  never  grown  to 
any  considerable  proportions. 

CREED   REVISION 

C.  G.  McCrie,  D.D.,  the  historian,  says  that 
''when  the  synod  of  the  United  Presbyterian 
Church  met  at  Glasgow  in  May,  1877,  there 
was  a  group  of  overtures  on  the  table  which 

20 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  SCOTLAND 

timid  ecclesiastics  and  conservatively  inclined 
members  must  have  regarded  with  consider- 
able apprehension,  if  not  anxiety.  The 
papers  were  four  in  number  and  all  fell  under 
the  common  designation  ^anent  the  Eevisal 
of  the  Subordinate  Standards.'  '' 

The  whole  subject  was  referred  to  a  com- 
mittee. In  this  committee  the  conservative 
element  was  outnumbered,  and  the  aggres- 
sive element  was  held  in  check.  A  decided 
majority  favored  a  ^^ mediatory  line  of  ac- 
tion," and  so  reported.  The  synod  adopted 
the  report  of  the  committee  substantially  as 
it  was  presented,  and  transmitted  it  to  the 
inferior  courts  for  their  action.  When  the 
synod  convened  in  1879,  '4t  was  found  that 
the  great  majority  of  the  inferior  courts  ap- 
proved the  document, '^  which  is  as  follows: 

DECLARATORY  ACT. 

Whereas  the  formula  in  which  the  subordinate 

standards    of   this   church    are    accepted    requires 

assent  to  them  as  an   exhibition  of  the  sense   in 

which    the*  Scriptures    are    understood:    Whereas 

21 


THE  PEESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES 

these  standards,  being  human  composition,  are 
necessarily  imperfect,  and  the  church  has  already 
allowed  exception  to  be  taken  to  their  teaching  or 
supposed  teaching  on  one  important  subject :  And 
whereas  there  are  other  subjects  in  regard  to  w^hich 
it  has  been  found  desirable  to  set  more  fully  and 
clearly  the  view  which  the  synod  takes  of  the  teach- 
ing of  the  Holy  Scriptures:  Therefore,  the  synod 
hereby  declares  as  follows  :• 

1.  That  in  regard  to  the  doctrine  of  redemption 
as  taught  in  the  standards,  and  in  consistency 
therewith,  the  love  of  God  to  all  mankind,  his  gift 
of  his  Son  to  be  the  propitiation  for  the  sins  of 
the  whole  world,  and  the  free  offer  of  salvation  to 
men  without  distinction  on  the  ground  of  Christ's 
perfect  sacrifice  are  matters  which  have  been  and 
continue  to  be  regarded  by  this  church  as  vital  in 
the  system  of  gospel  truth,  and  to  which  due  promi- 
nence ought  ever  to  be  given. 

2.  That  the  doctrine  of  divine  decrees,  including 
the  doctrine  of  election  to  eternal  life,  is  held  in 
connection  and  harmony  with  the  truth  that  God 
is  not  willing  that  any  should  perish,  but  that  all 
should  come  to  repentance,  and  that  he  has  pro- 
vided a  salvation  sufficient  for  all,  adapted  to  all, 
and  offered  to  all  in  the  gospel;  and  also  with  the 
responsibility  of  every  man  for  his  dealing  with 
the  free  and  unrestricted  offer  of  eternal  life. 

3.  That  the  doctrine  of  man's  total  depravity, 

22 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  SCOTLAND 

and  of  his  loss  of  ' '  all  ability  of  will  to  any  spiritual 
good  accompanying  salvation,"  is  not  held  as  im- 
plying such  a  condition  of  man's  nature  as  would 
affect  his  responsibility  under  the  law  of  God  and 
the  gospel  of  Christ,  or  that  he  does  not  experience 
the  strivings  and  restraining  influences  of  the 
Spirit  of  God,  or  that  he  cannot  perform  actions 
in  any  sense  good;  although  actions  which  do  not 
spring  from  a  renewed  heart  are  not  spiritually 
good  or  holy — such  as  accompany  salvation. 

4.  That  while  none  are  saved  except  through  the 
mediation  of  Christ,  and  by  the  grace  of  his  Holy 
Spirit,  who  worketh  when,  and  where,  and  how  it 
pleaseth  him ;  while  the  duty  of  sending  the  gospel 
to  the  heathen,  who  are  sunk  in  ignorance,  sin 
and  misery,  is  clear  and  imperative;  and  while 
the  outward  and  ordinary  means  of  salvation  for 
those  capable  of  being  called  by  the  word  are  the 
ordinances  of  the  gospel:  in  accepting  the  stand- 
ards, it  is  not  required  to  be  held  that  any  who 
die  in  infancy  are  lost,  or  that  God  may  not  ex- 
tend his  grace  to  any  who  are  without  the  pale  of 
ordinary  means,  as  it  may  seem  good  in  his  sight. 

5.  That  in  regard  to  the  doctrine  of  the  civil 
magistrate,  and  his  authority  and  duty  in  the 
sphere  of  religion,  as  taught  in  the  standards,  this 
church  holds  that  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  the  only 
King  ancl  Head  of  the  church,  and  ''  Head  over 
all  things  to  the  church,  which  is  his  body";  dis- 

23 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES 

approves  of  all  compulsory  or  persecuting  and  in- 
tolerant principles  in  religion;  and  declares,  as 
hitherto,  that  she  does  not  require  approval  of  any- 
thing in  her  standards  that  teaches,  or  may  be  sup- 
posed to  teach,  such  principles. 

6.  That  Christ  has  laid  it  as  a  permanent  and 
universal  obligation  upon  his  church,  at  once  to 
maintain  her  own  ordinances,  and  to  ''preach  the 
gospel  to  every  creature";  and  has  ordained  that 
his  people  provide  by  their  free-will  offerings  for 
the  fulfillment  of  this  obligation. 

7.  Tliat,  in  accordance  with  the  practice  hitherto 
observed  in  this  church,  liberty  of  opinion  is  al- 
lowed on  such  points  in  the  standards,  not  entering 
into  the  substance  of  the  faith,  as  the  interpretation 
of  the  ' '  six  days ' '  in  the  Mosaic  account  of  the  crea- 
tion ;  the  church  guarding  against  the  abuse  of  this 
liberty  to  the  injury  of  its  unity  and  peace. 

The  following  question  of  the  formula  con- 
tains the  terms  in  which  the  subordinate 
standards  are  accepted  by  the  office-bearers 
of  the  church: — ^^Do  you  acknowledge  the 
"Westminster  Confession  of  Faith  and  the 
Larger  and  Shorter  Catechisms  as  an  ex- 
hibition of  the  sense  in  which  you  under- 
stand the  Holy  Scriptures,  this  acknowledg- 

24 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  SCOTLAND 

ment  being  made  in  view  of  the  explanations 
contained  in  the  Declaratory  Act  of  synod 
thereanentr^ 

THE   RELIEF    CHURCH 

The  Established  Church  was  no  longer 
homogeneous,  either  in  spirit  or  polity.  As 
Henry  C.  Sheldon,  D.D.,  well  observed: 
^'The  two  rival  parties  continued  within  its 
bounds;  the  one  known  as  the  popular  or 
evangelical,  the  other  as  the  moderate  party. 
Of  these  the  latter  was  in  the  ascendant  in 
the  eighteenth  century,  first  under  the  leader- 
ship of  Patrick  Cuming,  and  then  of  William 
Robertson.  This  party,  if  not  from  convic- 
tion enthusiastically  in  favor  of  patronage, 
believed  in  accepting  it  as  the  existing  law 
of  the  church,  and  was  disposed  to  grant 
little  indulgence  to  those  who  felt  themselves 
aggrieved  on  this  score.  Its  policy,  con- 
ceived in  a  rather  arbitrary  spirit,  had  its 
advantages;  but  it  had  also  its  disadvan- 
tages,    ^li     introduced     order     within     the 

25 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES 

church.  It  crushed  the  revolt  of  presbyter- 
ies. It  silenced  in  many  cases  popular 
clamor.  But  it  quietly  and  gradually  alien- 
ated the  masses  of  the  people  from  the  Es- 
tablishment.' As  the  eighteenth  century 
advanced,  the  rigid  spirit  of  Scottish  ortho- 
doxy found  itself  invaded  by  more  liberal 
tendencies." 

This  condition  of  ecclesiastical  affairs  pro- 
duced another  division  in  the  Established 
Church.  In  1761  three  ministers  withdrew 
and  formed  ^^The  Presbytery  of  Belief. " 
As  the  name  indicates,  the  new  presbytery 
was  intended  to  furnish  relief  to  those  who 
could  no  longer  tolerate  the  Establishment. 
This  new  church  grew  so  fast  that  in  1773  it 
constituted  its  chief  judicatory  into  a  synod. 
In  1847,  as  has  already  been  shown,  it  formed 
a  union  with  the  United  Secession  Church, 
under  the  name  of  ^'The  United  Presbyte- 
rian Church.'' 


26 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  SCOTLAND 

THE   FREE   CHURCH 

It  now  remains  to  consider  the  last  exo- 
dus from  the  Established  Church.  The  same 
old  trouble  of  patronage  was  responsible  for 
the  withdrawal  of  over  one-third  of  all  the 
ministers  of  the  Established  Church,  in  1843. 
It  was  a  bold  stroke  for  the  four  hundred 
and  seventy  seceding  ministers  to  surrender 
their  livings,  and  to  cast  themselves  upon 
the  liberality  of  the  people,  who  had  hereto- 
fore been  accustomed  to  look  to  the  state  for 
the  support  of  the  church.  *  ^  The  whole  body 
of  missionaries  to  the  Jews  and  heathen  cast 
in  their  lots  with  the  Free  Church.  The 
great  mass  of  the  Highlanders,  to  whom  lay 
patronage  had  proved  particularly  distaste- 
ful, went  over  to  the  ranks  of  the  new  party. 
Parochial  schoolmasters  suffered  equally 
with  the  seceding  ministers,  being  ejected 
from  their  schools  and  obliged  to  depend 
upon  voluntary  support.  Chalmers  had 
wrought  out  beforehand  a  scheme  for  church 

27 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES 

extension,  and  the  Free  Church  at  once  took 
measures  for  covering  with  its  work  the 
whole  of  Scotland."  The  obstacles  over- 
come and  the  success  attained  by  the  Free 
Church  have  no  parallel  in  modern  church 
history. 

CREED   REVISION" 

As  has  been  already  observed,  the  Free 
Church,  in  1852,  absorbed  the  greater  part 
of  the  United  Original  Secession  Church; 
and  by  a  union,  all  of  ^'The  Reformed  Pres- 
byterian Church  in  Scotland"  (Covenanters), 
in  1876,  were  added  to  the  Free  Church.  As 
early  as  1889  the  attention  of  the  Free 
Church  was  drawn  to  creed  revision.  This 
revision  took  the  form  of  a  ^^Declaratory 
Act,"  which  passed  the  General  Assembly  in 
1892. 

Eobert  Eainy,  D.D.,  said;  ^^The  Declara- 
tory Act  was  framed  by  a  committee  care- 
fully chosen  from  men  of  various  shades  of 
opinion  on  church  questions.     This  commit- 

28 


PEESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  SCOTLAND 

tee  had  been  appointed  by  the  Assembly 
because  of  overtures  which  came  up  from 
many  presbyteries  stating  that  difficulties 
and  scruples  were  felt  by  men  elected  to  of- 
fice as  elders,  as  well  as  by  students,  about 
statements  in  the  Confession  of  Faith.  Some 
were  afraid  that  certain  statements  in  the 
Confession  would  pledge  them  to  doctrines 
they  did  not  find  in  the  word  of  God;  and 
some  were  afraid  that  views  they  believed  to 
be  taught  in  the  word  of  God  were  hardly 
allowable  by  the  Confession.  So  they  had 
difficulty  about  receiving  it  as  the  Confession 
of  their  own  faith." 

DECLARATORY  ACT 

Whereas  it  is  expedient  to  remove  difficulties  and 
scruples  which  have  been  felt  by  some  in  reference 
to  the  declaration  of  belief  required  from  persons 
who  receive  license,  or  are  admitted  to  office  in  this 
church,  the  General  Assembly  with  consent  of 
presbyteries  declares  as  follows: 

1.  That,  in  holding  and  teaching,  according  to 
the  Confession,  the  divine  purpose  of  grace  towards 

those  who  are  saved,  and  the  execution  of  that  pur- 

29 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES 

pose  in  time,  this  church  most  earnestly  proclaims, 
as  standing  in  the  forefront  of  the  revelation  of 
grace,  the  love  of  God,  Father,  Son  and  Holy  Spirit, 
to  sinners  of  mankind,  manifested  especially  in  the 
Father's  gift  of  the  Son  to  be  the  Savionr  of  the 
world,  in  the  coming  of  the  Son  to  offer  himself  a 
propitiation  for  sin,  and  in  the  striving  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  with  men  to  bring  them  to  repentance. 

2.  That  this  church  also  holds  that  all  who  hear 
the  gospel  are  warranted  and  required  to  believe 
to  the  saving  of  their  souls ;  and  that  in  case  of  such 
as  do  not  believe,  but  perish  in  their  sins,  the  is- 
sue is  due  to  their  own  rejection  of  the  gospel  call. 
That  this  church  does  not  teach,  and  does  not  re- 
gard the  Confession  as  teaching,  the  foreordination 
of  men  to  death  irrespective  of  their  own  sin. 

3.  That  it  is  the  duty  of  those  who  believe,  and 
one  end  of  their  calling  by  God,  to  make  known 
the  gospel  to  all  men  everywhere  for  the  obedience 
of  faith.  And  that  while  the  gospel  is  the  or- 
dinary means  of  salvation  for  those  to  whom  it 
is  made  known,  yet  it  does  not  follow,  nor  is  the 
Confession  to  be  held  as  teaching,  that  any  who  die 
in  infancy  are  lost,  or  that  God  may  not  extend 
his  mercy  for  Christ 's  sake,  and  by  his  Holy  Spirit, 
to  those  who  are  beyond  the  reach  of  these  means, 
as  it  may  seem  good  to  him,  according  to  the 
riches  of  his  grace. 

4.  That,  in  holding  and  teaching,  according  to 

30 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  SCOTLAND 

the  Confession  of  Faith,  the  corruption  of  man's 
whole  nature  as  fallen,  this  church  also  maintains 
that  there  remain  tokens  of  his  greatness  as  created 
in  the  image  of  God;  that  he  is  responsible  for 
compliance  with  law  and  with  the  gospel;  and 
that,  although  unable  without  the  aid  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  to  return  to  God,  he  is  yet  capable  of  affec- 
tions and  actions  which  in  themselves  are  virtuous 
and  praiseworthy. 

5.  That  this  church  disclaims  intolerant  or  per- 
secuting principles,  and  does  not  consider  her  office- 
bearers, in  subscribing  the  Confession,  committed 
to  any  principles  inconsistent  with  liberty  of  con- 
science and  the  right  of  private  judgment. 

6.  That  while  diversity  of  opinion  is  recognized 
in  this  church  on  such  points  in  the  Confessions 
as  do  not  enter  into  the  substance  of  the  Reformed 
faith  therein  set  forth,  the  church  retains  full  au- 
thority to  determine  in  any  case  which  may  arise, 
what  points  fall  within  this  description,  and  thus 
to  guard  against  any  abuse  of  this  liberty  to  the 
detriment  of  sound  doctrine,  or  to  the  injury  of 
their  unity  and  peace. 

C.  G.  McCrie,  D.D.,  speaking  of  this 
** Declaratory  Act,''  says:  ^^ Viewed  and  ac- 
cepted simply  as  a  declaration  of  the  mind 
of  the  church  regarding  some  parts  of  the 

31 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES 

Westminster  standards  liable  to  misconcep- 
tions, and  about  certain  views  which  may  be 
held  without  contradicting  the  Confession, 
the  Declaratory  Act  brought  relief  to  a  large 
number  of  Free  Churchmen,  and  these,  not 
the  least  thoughtful,  conscientious  and  loyal 
of  her  sons.  In  the  judgment  of  many  of 
her  office-bearers  and  members,  the  church 
brought  herself,  through  the  Declaratory 
Act,  not  only  into  more  perfect  agreement 
with  the  permanent  in  Scripture  teaching, 
but  also  into  touch  with  ^the  church's  present 
faith,'  with  ^the  living  faith  of  the  church' — 
phrases  which  were  much  in  evidence  during 
the  drafting  and  passing  of  the  measure." 
But  there  were  a  few  in  the  Free  Church 
who  were  opposed  to  all  creed  revision. 
This  opposition,  in  1893,  led  two  ministers 
and  one  elder  to  sign  a  ^^Deed  of  Separa- 
tion" from  the  Free  Church.  The  new  or- 
ganization which  was  formed  was  called 
^'The  Free  Presbyterian  Church  of  Scot- 
land."   It  is  a  small,  insignificant  body. 

32 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  SCOTLAND 

UNION   OF   FREE   AND   UNITED   CHURCHES 

It  has  already  been  said  that  the  Free 
Church  and  the  United  Church  formed  an 
organic  union  in  1900.  C.  G.  McCrie,  D.D., 
says:  ^'Once  the  United  Presbyterian  and 
the  Free  Churches  were  in  possession  of 
separate  yet  similar  Declaratory  Acts  the 
tide  of  sentiment  in  favor  of  closer  relations 
was  not  long  in  setting  in."  In  the  course 
of  a  few  years  organic  union  was  consum- 
mated. The  new  organization  is  known  as 
the  United  Free  Church.  A  handful,  prob- 
ably not  exceeding  ten  thousand  members,  of 
the  Free  Church  refused  to  go  into  the  union. 
Under  a  peculiar  law  of  Great  Britain  this 
very  small  minority  laid  claim  to  all  the 
property  of  the  Free  Church,  and  although 
all  the  Scotch  judges  decided  against  the 
claimants,  the  court  of  highest  resort  sus- 
tained the  claim.  But  there  was  such  mani- 
fest inequity  in  the  decision  that  a  wave  of 
discontent  swept  over  Britain.    Parliament 

33 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES 

gave  the  question  such  attention  as  its  merits 
deserved.  A  commission  was  apj)ointed, 
which  was  charged  with  the  responsibility 
of  dividing  the  property  between  the  two 
bodies  on  the  principles  of  equity,  and  its 
work  has  been  done  thoroughly. 

DIVISIONS 

This  brief  sketch  reveals  the  fact  that  there 
have  been  in  Scotch  Presbyterianism  nine 
divisions,  not  counting  the  two,  viz.,  ^'Tlie 
Eeformed  Presbytery  of  Edinburgh"  and 
^*The  Evangelical  Union,"  which  have  disap- 
peared from  the  Presbyterian  family  roll; 
nor  in  this  count  is  any  notice  taken  of  rem- 
nants which  sometimes  refused  to  enter  unions 
effected  between  churches.  These  nine  divi- 
sions are  as  follows:  (1)  the  separation  of 
the  Reformed  Presbyterians  (or  Covenant- 
ers) from  the  Established  Church  in  1688; 
(2)  ^'The  Eeformed  Presbyterian  Church  of 
Scotland"  withdrew  from  ^'The  Reformed 
Presbyterian  Church  in  Scotland"  in  1863; 

34 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  SCOTLAND 

(3)  the  Associate  or  Secession  Church  drew 
out  of  the  Establishment  in  1733;  (4)  ^'The 
General  Associate  Synod"  (Anti-Burgher) 
withdrew  from  ^'The  Associate  Synod" 
(Burgher)  in  1747;  (5)  the  Burghers  sepa- 
rated into  Old  Light  and  New  Light,  the 
former  severing  its  connection  with  the  lat- 
ter, in  1799;  (6)  the  Anti-Burgher  Church 
followed  the  example  of  the  Burgher  Church, 
the  Old  Light  withdrawing  from  the  New 
Light  in  1806;  (7)  the  Eelief  Church  aban- 
doned the  Establishment  in  1761;  (8)  the 
Free  Church  of  Scotland  withdrew  from  the 
Established  Church  in  1843;  (9)  and  finally 
the  Free  Presbyterian  Church  severed  its 
connection  with  the  Free  Church  of  Scotland 
in  1893. 

UNIONS 

There  have  been  six  unions  effected,  as 
follows:  (1)  ^^The  Eeformed  Presbyterian 
Church  in  Scotland"  with  the  Free  Church 
of   Scotland  in   1876;    (2)    the   New   Light 

.35 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES 

Burgher  Church  with  the  New  Light  Anti- 
Burgher  Church  in  1820;  (3)  the  larger  part 
of  the  Old  Light  Burgher  Church  with  the 
Established  Church  in  1839;  (4)  the  remnant 
of  the  Old  Light  Burgher  Church  with  the 
Old  Light  Anti-Burgher  Church  in  1842;  (5) 
the  majority  of  the  United  Original  Seces- 
sion Church  with  the  Free  Church  of  Scot- 
land in  1852;  and  (6)  the  Free  Church  of 
Scotland  with  the  United  Church  in  1900. 

Through  the  various  movements  and  by 
the  various  unions  which  have  been  formed 
nearly  all  of  the  Presbyterian  elements  have 
been  collected  together,  in  Scotland,  into  two 
great  churches,  viz.,  the  Established  Church 
and  the  United  Free  Church.  In  forming 
some  of  the  unions  certain  fragments  refused 
to  enter  the  broader  relation,  thereby  per- 
petuating several  small  and  weak  churches. 


36 


CHART  OF  SCOTCH  PRESBYTERIANISM 


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CHAPTER  II 

THE    PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH    IN    IRELAND 

Modern  Irish  history  began  with  the  reign 
of  Elizabeth.  Con  O'Neil,  Earl  of  Tyrone, 
had  taken  his  title  from  Henry  VIII,  sub- 
ject to  the  English  law  of  succession.  At 
the  death  of  Con,  the  clan  O'Neil,  disregard- 
ing the  English  law  of  succession,  selected 
Shane  O'Neil  as  the  successor  of  Con. 
Shane  put  himself  forward  as  the  champion 
of  Irish  liberty.  Elizabeth  overran  the  coun- 
try with  soldiers  and  Shane  was  defeated  in 
1567.  In  due  time  Hugh  O'Neil,  the  most 
formidable  Irish  leader  the  English  had  yet 
encountered,  was  at  the  head  of  the  rebellious 
Irish.  He  was  not  defeated,  finally,  until 
1601,  and  it  was  1603  before  peace  was  fully 
established,  and  English  rule  acknowledged. 
In  1607  it  is  claimed  that  a  letter  was  dis- 

39 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES 

covered,  which  disclosed  a  contemplated  con- 
spiracy by  O'Neil,  Earl  of  Tyrone,  and 
O'Donnell,  Earl  of  Tyrconnel.  They  were 
proclaimed  traitors,  and  fled  from  the  coun- 
try. Their  lands  were  confiscated  to  the 
crown,  and  thrown  open  to  settlement.  Ul- 
timately the  greater  portion  of  Ulster,  which 
contains  about  one  fourth  of  the  area  of  Ire- 
land, was  included  in  this  settlement. 

PROTESTANT   IMMIGRATION 

English  Puritans  and  Scotch  Presbyteri- 
ans immigrated  to  Ulster,  the  latter  far  out- 
numbering the  former.  The  changed  atti- 
tude of  James  I  (VI  of  Scotland)  toward  his 
countrymen  in  ecclesiastical  affairs  was  the 
occasion  of  the  large  Scotch  emigration. 
These  sturdy  Scotch  carried  with  them  that 
form  of  religion,  Presbyterianism,  which 
they  professed,  and  the  free  exercise  of 
which  was  being  interfered  with  by  the 
crown,  in  their  native  land.  The  history  of 
the  Presbyterian   Church  in  Ireland  dates 

40 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  IRELAND 

from  this  Ulster  plantation.  These  Scotch 
immigrants  in  Ulster  were  the  progenitors 
of  the  Scotch-Irish  who  settled  in  America. 
Under  Elizabeth  Protestantism  was  estab- 
lished as  the  national  religion  in  Ireland,  the 
outward  symbols  of  Romanism  being  abol- 
ished. '^The  use  of  the  Common  Prayer 
Book  was  enforced,  and  the  people  obliged  to 
attend  the  public  services  of  the  National 
Church.''  Little,  however,  was  aimed  at  be- 
yond an  outward  conformity  to  the  Estab- 
lished ritual. 

PRESBYTERIANS   IN   THE   ESTABLISHMENT 

The  Presbyterians  in  Ulster,  at  this  time, 
were  comprehended  in  a  plan  of  the  Estab- 
lishment which  allowed  their  ministers  to  be 
inducted  into  livings  and  to  enjoy  the  bene- 
fits of  the  tithes.  But  while  this  was  true 
these  ministers  did  not  receive  prelatic  or- 
ders. In  deference  to  their  scruples  on  this 
point,  the  bishops  of  the  Established  Church 
sometimes  joined  with  them  in  ordinations 

41 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES 

after  the  Presbyterian  policy.  Good  feel- 
ings seem  to  have  prevailed  between  the  two 
classes  of  the  clergy.  But  after  William 
Laud  became  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  the 
plan  of  Irish  ecclesiastical  affairs  under- 
went a  great  change.  The  object  of  Laud 
was  to  stamp  out  every  trace  of  Presbyte- 
rianism;  and  to  this  end  he  had  the  sup- 
port of  the  crown.  The  Presbyterians  were 
subjected  to  such  severe  persecutions  the 
wonder  is  that  the  object  of  Laud  was  not 
accomplished.  The  Presbyterians  had  in  a 
measure  been  prepared  for  these  severe 
trials  through  a  great  awakening,  very  simi- 
lar to  those  subsequently  visiting  America 
in  1740  and  in  1800. 

THE  IRISH   INSURRECTION 

In  1641  the  Irish  Insurrection  took  place. 
The  native  Irish  arose  everywhere  and  mas- 
sacred the  Protestants  among  them,  as  far  as 
they  could.  The  King  of  England,  Charles 
I,  and  his  Parliament  were  so  unharmonious 

42 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  IRELAND 

that  England  was  not  in  a  position  to  inter- 
vene speedily  to  put  down  the  rebellion.  It 
remained  for  Scotland  to  send  an  army  to 
quell  the  Irish.  The  Scotch  effectually  broke 
the  force  of  the  rebellion,  though  it  was  a 
number  of  years  before  Ireland  was  entirely 
pacified.  It  was  necessary,  therefore,  for  the 
soldiers  to  remain  for  some  time. 

Presbyterian  ministers  accompanied  the 
Scottish  regiments  as  chaplains.  After  the 
pacification  of  Ulster  had  been  effected, 
these  soldiers  were  quartered  at  Carrickfer- 
gus.  Here  the  ministers  proceeded  to  effect 
organizations  in  the  regiments  over  which 
they  had  the  spiritual  supervision.  In  each 
of  four  regiments  sessions  were  formed.  In 
June,  1642,  ^ve  ministers,  with  representa- 
tives from  these  four  sessions,  constituted 
the  Presbytery  of  Ulster,  which  was  the  be- 
ginning of  independent  ecclesiastical  life  of 
Presbyterianism  in  Ireland;  for,  as  has  al- 
ready been  indicated,  in  its  earlier  history  it 
formed  a.  part  of  the  Establishment.     The 

43 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES 

persecutions  through  which  these  people  had 
passed,  together  with  the  Irish  rebellion  of 
1641,  had  deprived  them  of  almost  all  their 
ministers.  Had  not  the  church  in  Scotland 
sent  them  temporary  aid  it  would  have  been 
impossible  for  the  needs  of  the  times  to  have 
been  met.  A  remarkable  growth  followed. 
In  1660  there  were  eighty  congregations 
throughout  Ulster,  with  seventy  ministers, 
and  one  hundred  thousand  communicants. 

With  the  restoration  of  the  Stuart  kings 
in  1660,  the  progress  of  the  church  was  ter- 
minated, and  a  new  persecution  was  inaugu- 
rated, which  lasted  for  a  long  time.  These 
severe  trials  demonstrated  the  vitality  of  the 
principle  which  actuated  the  people.  Space 
does  not  admit  of  an  account  of  the  various 
experiences  which  befell  these  devoted  serv- 
ants of  God. 

PRESBYTERY  OF  ANTRIM 

Had  the  external  troubles  been  all  that  the 
church  was  called  upon  to  endure,  the  situa- 

44 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  IRELAND 

tion  would  have  been  more  hopeful.  In  this 
time  arose  internal  divergencies  which  ulti- 
mately greatly  weakened  the  church.  For  a 
number  of  years  there  was  considerable  con- 
troversy over  the  question  of  subscription. 
The  two  parties,  known  as  subscribers  and 
non-subscribers,  engaged  in  a  pamphlet  war. 
The  non-subscribers  were  aggressive  in 
pressing  their  views  to  the  front,  while  the 
subscribers  were  disposed  to  deal  as  gently 
as  the  nature  of  the  situation  would  at  all 
permit.  The  original  presbytery  had  grown 
into  a  synod  which  hoped  to  control  the  sit- 
uation by  a  policy  of  segregation.  Accord- 
ingly a  new  adjustment  of  presbyterial  lines 
was  agreed  upon,  by  means  of  which  all  the 
non-subscribing  ministers  were  placed  in  the 
Presbj^tery  of  Antrim.  While  this  step  was 
taken  as  a  means  of  preserving  the  unity  of 
the  body,  it  was  really  a  step  toward  perma- 
nent separation,  which  took  place  a  year 
later,  in  1726.  In  1862  there  was  a  division 
of  the  Presbytery  of  Antrim  over  the  ques- 

45 


THE  PEESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES 

tion  of  candidates  for  the  ministry.  Af- 
ter remaining  apart  for  thirty-two  years,  a 
union  was  effected  between  the  two  presby- 
teries, in  1894.  The  Presbytery  of  Antrim 
was  separated  from  the  synod  because  of 
unitarian  views  held  by  its  members. 

REMONSTRANT   SYNOD    OF    ULSTER 

But  unfortunately  the  separation  of  the 
Presbytery  of  Antrim  from  the  synod  did 
not  remove  the  taproot  of  the  doctrinal  diffi- 
culties with  which  the  synod  had  to  contend. 
A  century  later  there  were  again  unmistak- 
able indications  of  the  presence  of  unitarian- 
ism  in  the  Synod  of  Ulster.  This  state  of 
things  had  grown  to  serious  proportions  for 
the  lack  of  an  earnest,  strong  and  determined 
leader  for  orthodoxy.  Such  a  man,  in  the 
course  of  time,  was  found  in  the  person  of 
Rev.  Henry  Cooke,  who  was  a  born  orator, 
and  possessed  the  other  necessary  qualifica- 
tions for  the  work  he  was  called  upon  to  lead. 
In  1829  the  synod  exscinded  the  unitarian 

46 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  IRELAND 

party,  which  included  seventeen  ministers. 
The  following  year,  1830,  those  thus  cut  off 
organized  the  Remonstrant  Synod  of  Ulster, 
which,  in  the  language  of  the  historian,  ''has 
dwindled  to  the  shadow  of  a  shade.''  In  or- 
der to  prevent  the  necessity  of  further  ec- 
clesiastical surgery,  the  synod,  in  1835,  de- 
termined that  unqualified  subscription  to  the 
Confession  of  Faith  should  be  required. 

THE  ASSOCIATE,    OR   SECESSION,    CHURCH 

As  early  as  1736,  on  account  of  a  dispute 
which  arose  concerning  the  settlement  of  a 
pastor  over  a  church  near  Belfast,  the  church 
sent  a  memorial  to  the  Associate,  or  Seces- 
sion, Presbytery  in  Scotland,  asking  for  a 
minister.  Another  church  in  the  same  neigh- 
borhood made  a  similar  application  to  the 
same  body  in  1741.  The  outcome  of  these 
memorials  was  the  coming,  in  1742,  of  Rev. 
Thomas  Ballantyne  to  Ireland.  The  Asso- 
ciate Church  in  Scotland  was  still  very  weak, 

for   the   visit   of   Mr.   Ballantyne   was   two 

47 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES 

years  before  the  Associate  Presbytery  had 
grown  sufficiently  strong  to  organize  a  synod. 
Such  was  the  beginning  of  the  introduction  of 
the  Associate,  or  Secession,  Church  into  Ire- 
land. This  was  ^ve  years  before  the  rupture 
of  that  church  in  Scotland  into  Burgher  and 
Anti-Burgher.  But  when  the  division  took 
place  in  1747,  small  as  the  band  in  Ireland 
was,  it  took  up  the  quarrel,  which  was  wholly 
foreign  to  its  environment,  and  proceeded  to 
divide  into  Burgher  and  Anti-Burgher.  This 
was  before  any  presbyterial  organization  of 
the  Secession  adherents  had  been  formed. 
In  1750  those  in  sympathy  with  the  Anti-Bur- 
ghers organized  their  first  presbytery  in  Ire- 
land, while  those  holding  with  the  Burghers 
constituted  their  first  presbytery  in  1751. 

Notwithstanding  the  handicap  which  two 
organizations  imposed,  both  churches  made 
rapid  progress,  the  Burghers  constituting  a 
synod  in  1779,  and  the  Anti-Burghers  or- 
ganizing a  synod  in  1788.  The  two  churches 
remained  apart  for  over  half  a  century.     But 

48 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  IRELAND 

as  time  passed,  both  sides  were  brought  to 
see  the  mistake  of  trying,  even  in  name,  to 
perpetuate  a  foreign  quarrel.  Attempts 
were  made  to  form  a  union,  which  at  tirst 
were  unsuccessful,  because  the  Anti-Burgher 
Synod  acknowledged  subjection  to  the  par- 
ent body  in  Scotland,  and  the  Scotch  Synod 
interposed  to  prevent  the  union.  But  at 
length  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Scottish  ju- 
dicatory was  ignored,  and  the  union  was  con- 
summated in  1818,  the  united  church  being 
known  as  ^^The  Presbyterian  Synod  of  Ire- 
land, distinguished  by  the  name  Seceders.'' 

ORIGINAL   SECESSION   CHURCH 

A  few  ministers  and  congregations  in  the 
Burgher  Synod  refused  to  enter  the  union, 
and  remained  in  connection  with  the  original 
Burgher  Synod  in  Scotland,  under  the  title 
of  ^*The  Associate  Presbytery  of  Down  and 
Derry.'^  In  1831  this  presbytery  was  di- 
vided into  two  presbyteries — the  Presbytery 
of  Down  and  the  Presbytery  of  Derry.     It 

49 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES 

has  already  been  noted  in  the  history  of 
Scotch  Presbyterianism  that  the  Old  Light 
Burgher  Church  formed  a  union  with  the 
Established  Church,  in  1839,  and  that  about 
three-fourths  of  the  Burgher  Church  went  in- 
to the  union,  while  the  other  fourth  perpet- 
uated its  existence  until  1842,  when  it  formed 
a  union  with  the  Old  Light  Anti-Burgher 
Church.  When  the  union  of  the  Old  Light 
Burgher  with  the  Established  Church  took 
place  in  1839,  the  number  of  congregations 
in  Ireland  connected  with  the  Old  Light  body 
was  seven,  with  five  ministers.  Some  of  this 
strength  was  absorbed  by  the  stronger  Pres- 
byterian bodies  in  Ireland;  but  there  are 
a  few  small  congregations  in  Ulster  con- 
nected with  the  original  Secession  Church. 

THE   PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH    OF    IRELAND 

After  the  Synod  of  Ulster  had  purged  it- 
self of  unitarianism,  in  1830,  it  was  discov- 
ered that  there  existed  an  affinity  between 
the  Synod  of  Ulster  and  the  Synod  of  the 

50 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  IRELAND 

Seceders,  which  resulted  in  an  organic  union 
in  1840,  under  the  name  of  ^^The  General 
Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  Ire- 
land.'' 

THE  REFORMED,   OR   COVENANTING,   CHURCH 

In  1792  another  Presbyterian  Church,  the 
Eeformed  or  Covenanting,  also  introduced 
from  Scotland,  constituted  its  first  presby- 
tery in  Ireland.  By  1811  this  presbytery 
had  expanded  into  a  synod.  In  his  history 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  Ireland,  Rev. 
William  Cleland  says:  ''The  Covenanters 
have  never  met  with  much  success  either  in 
Scotland  or  Ireland.  Their  peculiar  views 
relative  to  the  civil  government  of  the  king- 
dom have  doubtless  interfered  with  their 
progress.  They  have  always  been  distin- 
guished by  strict  adherence  to  the  great  prin- 
ciples of  divine  truth,  and  for  intelligence 
and  piety,  they  compare  favorably,  ministers 
and  people  alike,  with  any  other  branch  of 
the  great  Presbyterian  family."    But  weak 

51 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES 

as  the  Eeformed  Presbyterian  Synod  of  Ire- 
land was,  in  1840,  a  disruption  took  place 
over  the  question  with  regard  to  the  power  of 
the  civil  magistrate.  The  party  withdrawing 
took  the  name  of  ''The  Eastern  Reformed 
Presbyterian  Synod."  Both  of  these  bodies 
continue  to  exist,  but  neither  is  strong. 

ASSOCIATE  PRESBYTERY   OF    IRELAND 

In  1672,  owing  partly  to  the  meager  sup- 
port of  the  Presbyterian  clergy  in  Ireland, 
and  owing  partly  also  to  the  fact  that  they 
had  been  loyal  supporters  of  the  Stuart  kings, 
Charles  II  set  apart  a  sum  of  money  for  their 
benefit.  This  was  known  as  the  regiuni 
donum,  a  royal  gift.  About  1809  a  change 
was  made  in  the  method  of  distribution,  to 
which  some  took  strong  exception.  Among 
this  number  was  Rev.  James  Bryce,  an  Anti- 
Burgher.  His  synod  called  him  to  an  ac- 
count for  his  strong  language,  and  finally, 
in  1811,  suspended  him  from  his  office.  He 
disregarded  the  action  of  his  synod,  and  con- 

52 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  IRELAND 

tinued  to  preach  as  often  as  he  could  to  the 
few  small  congregations  which  adhered  to 
him.  In  1816,  without  ministerial  assistance, 
he  ordained  Mr.  Hugh  Mclntyre,  to  a  pas- 
toral charge.  A  few  other  ministers  were 
gradually  gathered  around  him.  The  or- 
ganization brought  into  existence  by  him  is 
known  as  ''The  Associate  Presbytery  of  Ire- 
land." It  has  at  present  seven  or  eight 
small  congregations,  and  is  in  communion 
with  the  United  Free  Church  of  Scotland. 

The  Presbytery  of  Antrim  and  the  Kemon- 
strant  Synod  represent  that  part  of  Irish 
Presbyterianism  which  turned  unitarian, 
and  are  more  a  memory  than  a  force  of  to- 
day. They  have  been  mentioned  to  show 
what  Presbyterianism  had  to  slough  off  in  its 
effort  to  become  a  real  factor  in  the  religious 
life  of  the  people  of  Ireland.  The  Presby- 
terian Church  in  Ireland  is  a  strong  evangel- 
ical body. 


53 


1 


CHART  OF  IRISH  PRESBYTERIANISM 


,PTf>hyiet^./VUi^r       7 Sy».d    .Z    Uh 


............. 


CHAPTER    III 

THE    PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH    IN    CANADA 

The  Presbyterian  Church  in  Canada  is 
itself  the  result  of  seven  organic  unions, 
which  were  effected  from  time  to  time  be- 
tween bodies  of  both  independent  and  schis- 
matic origin.  This  denomination  presents 
one  of  the  finest  illustrations  in  church  his- 
tory of  the  beneficial  results  accruing  from 
organically  united,  instead  of  divisive,  ec- 
clesiastical effort.  In  its  earlier  history 
Canadian  Presbyterianism  was  very  badly 
divided;  but  for  the  last  thirty  years  it  has 
presented  the  very  finest  example  of  consoli- 
dation, unity  of  purpose  and  successful  evan- 
gelism. 

SCOTCH   ENVIRONMENT 

In  order  that  a  clear  statement  of  Cana- 
dian Presbyterianism  may  be  presented,  it 

57 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES 

is  necessary  to  mention  certain  conditions 
once  existing  in  Scotch  Presbyterianism, 
which  impressed  themselves  on  the  Canadian 
kin.  About  three  and  one-half  centuries  ago 
the  Roman  Catholic  Church  was  displaced 
by  Protestantism,  when  the  Presbyterian 
Church  was  recognized  by  the  state  as  con- 
stituting the  national  church  of  the  realm. 
In  1560  a  confession  of  faith  was  drawn  up 
by  John  Knox  and  his  associates,  which,  in 
the  same  year,  the  Estates  ^^  ratified  and  ap- 
pointed as  wholesome  and  sound  doctrine 
grounded  upon  the  infallible  truth  of  God's 
word."  In  1567  Parliament  ratified  all  the 
acts  which  had  been  passed  in  1560,  and  from 
this  time  the  Presbyterian  Church  became 
the  Established  Church  of  Scotland.  This 
church  has  had  a  most  interesting  history 
from  various  view  points.  From  time  to 
time  schismatical  parties  split  off  from  the 
parent  body,  and  these  again  sometimes  di- 
vided up,  until  Scotch  Presbyterianism  be- 

58 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  CANADA 

came  quite  intricate.  These  various  divisive 
questions  were  often  transferred  with  emi- 
grants to  their  new  homes.  This  was  true 
in  Canada. 

In  1733  the  Secession  or  Associate  Presby- 
terian Church  was  constituted  in  Scotland, 
by  ministers  who  withdrew  from  the  Estab- 
lished Church.  The  cause  leading  to  their 
withdrawal  was  both  of  a  doctrinal  and  con- 
stitutional nature,  which  need  not  be  dis- 
cussed in  this  connection.  But  after  the 
formation  of  the  Associate  Church,  a  note  of 
discord  entered  into  the  new  household  of 
faith.  This  was  occasioned  by  the  fact  that 
Edinburgh,  Glasgow  and  Perth  inserted  into 
the  burgess  oath,  which  was  exacted,  the 
clause,  ^^the  true  religion  presently  professed 
within  this  realm."  Some  construed  these 
words  as  a  mere  indorsement  of  Protestant- 
ism, while  others  saw  in  them  an  approval 
of  the  acts  of  the  Established  Church.  The 
contention  between  the  two  parties  in  the  As- 

59 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES 

sociate  Churcli  became  so  acute  that  they  sep- 
arated, in  1747,  into  two  churches,  known  as 
Burgher  and  Anti-Burgher. 

Sympathizers  with  both  divisions  emi- 
grated to  Canada,  and  this  led  to  the  estab- 
lishment of  churches  in  Nova  Scotia  repre- 
senting both  of  the  above-named  branches  in 
Scotland.  In  1786  the  Presbytery  of  Truro, 
representing  the  Burghers,  was  organized, 
with  ^ve  ministers  and  two  elders.  In  1795 
the  Presbytery  of  Pictou  was  constituted  by 
three  ministers  and  two  elders,  belonging  to 
the  Anti-Burghers.  Soon  after  the  organi- 
zation of  the  latter  presbytery,  the  former 
proposed  that  each  should  recognize  the  other 
as  a  court  of  Christ;  but  transatlantic  prej- 
udice was  too  strong,  and  the  fraternal  over- 
ture was  rejected.  But  as  time  went  on,  both 
sides  came  to  see  that  there  was  no  good 
reason  for  remaining  apart,  so  in  1817  the 
two  bodies  united,  and  were  known  as  ''The 
Synod  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  Nova 
Scotia,''  which  was  composed  of  three  pres- 

60 


PRESBYTERIAxN  CHURCH  IN  CANADA 

byteries.  Of  the  nineteen  ministers  belong- 
ing to  the  synod,  three  had  been  connected 
with  the  Established  Church  of  Scotland  and 
two  with  the  English  independent  churches. 
When  this  union  took  place  there  were  only 
a  few  ministers  of  the  Established  Church 
of  Scotland  in  the  eastern  provinces,  but  in 
the  next  few  years  the  number  considerably 
increased.  These  refused  to  enter  *^The 
Synod  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  Nova 
Scotia,"  so  they  constituted,  in  1833,  '^The 
Synod  of  Nova  Scotia  in  Connection  with  the 
Church  of  Scotland."  This  synod,  at  its  or- 
ganization, had  ten  ministers  on  its  roll,  di- 
vided between  three  presbyteries,  as  follows : 
Halifax,  Pictou  and  Prince  Edward  Island. 

THE   FREE   CHURCH   OF   NOVA   SCOTIA 

In  1843  the  great  disruption  of  the  Church 
of  Scotland  took  place.  What  was  known 
as  the  law  of  patronage  had  been  restored 
by  the  British  Parliament,  in  1712;  and  this 
was  done  in  violation  of  the  articles  of  the 

61 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES 

union  between  the  two  kingdoms  at  their 
consolidation.  According  to  this  law  some 
nobleman,  or  other  party,  called  a  ^^ patron," 
had  the  civil  right  to  select  a  pastor  for  a 
vacant  church,  the  wishes  of  the  members  of 
the  church  not  being  consulted.  This  law 
became  a  source  of  great  annoyance  to 
Scotch  Presbyterianism.  The  trouble  be- 
came so  serious  in  1843  that  a  very  large  part 
of  the  Established  Church  withdrew  and 
formed  the  Free  Church.  Naturally,  the  mem- 
bers of  ^'The  Synod  of  Nova  Scotia  in  Con- 
nection with  the  Church  of  Scotland''  took 
a  deep  interest  in  this  controversy.  In  1844 
this  synod,  in  order  that  its  sympathy  for  the 
Free  Church  of  Scotland  might  be  more  thor- 
oughly understood,  changed  its  name  to  ^'The 
Synod  of  Nova  Scotia  Adhering  to  the  West- 
minster Standards.''  This  action  led  to  its 
being  called  generally  ^^The  Free  Church"; 
so  in  1848  it  made  another  change  in  its 
name.  This  time  it  took  the  title  of  ^'The 
Synod  of  the  Free  Church  of  Nova  Scotia." 

62 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  CANADA 

After  this  repudiation  of  the  Established 
Church  of  Scotland  and  change  of  name  by 
the  synod,  it  was  drawn  into  closer  fellow- 
shiiD  with  ''The  Synod  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  of  Nova  Scotia/^  which  resulted  in 
an  organic  union  of  the  two  synods  in  1860, 
under  the  name  of  "The  Synod  of  the  Pres- 
byterian Church  of  the  Lower  Provinces  of 
British  North  America/' 

THE    CHURCH    OP    NEW   BRUNSWICK, 

In  January,  1833,  in  the  same  year  in  which 
''The  Synod  of  Nova  Scotia  in  Connection 
with  the  Church  in  Scotland"  was  con- 
stituted, an  independent  presbytery  was 
formed,  which  was  called  "The  Presbytery 
of  New  Brunswick  in  Connection  with  the 
Church  of  Scotland.''  William  Gregg,  D.D., 
the  Canadian  Presbyterian  historian,  speak- 
ing of  this  presbytery,  says:  "A  pro- 
posal was  made  to  them  by  the  Synod  of 
Nova  Scotia  in  the  same  connection,  which 
was  organized  a  few  months  afterward,  to 

63 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES 

form  one  of  its  presbyteries,  but  the  pro- 
posal was  declined."  This  declination  led 
the  synod  to  constitute  a  presbytery  of  the 
same  name  of  the  independent  presbytery, 
and  the  name  seems  to  indicate  that  the  two 
presbyteries  occupied  substantially  the  same 
territory.  Thus  without  any  apparent  good 
reason  there  were  two  churches  of  the  same 
faith  and  sympathy  where  there  was  no  need 
of  more  than  one.  In  1835  ^ '  The  Presbytery 
of  New  Brunswick  in  Connection  with  the 
Church  of  Scotland''  was  expanded  into  a 
synod.  The  synod  had  the  names  of  ten 
ministers  on  its  roll.  This  number  increased 
to  thirteen  by  1845,  at  which  date  three  of 
them  withdrew,  and  organized  ^^The  Synod 
of  New  Brunswick  Adhering  to  the  Stand- 
ards of  the  Westminster  Confession."  This 
body  is  usually  called  *^The  Free  Church  of 
New  Brunswick."  The  occasion  of  this  di- 
vision grew  out  of  the  disruption  in  Scotland, 
already  mentioned.  In  1866  this  dissenting 
body  formed  an  organic  union  with  ^'The 

64 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  CANADA 

Synod  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  the 
Lower  Provinces  of  British  North  Amer- 
ica.'^ 

THE   CHURCH   OF   N.    S.   AND   P.   E.    I. 

Mention  has  already  been  made  of  the  fact 
that  in  1833  ^^The  Synod  of  Nova  Scotia  in 
connection  with  the  Church  of  Scotland"  was 
constituted,  after  which  it  twice  changed  its 
name ;  and  that  the  name  adopted  at  the  first 
change,  in  1844,  was  ^'The  Synod  of  Nova 
Scotia  Adhering  to  the  Westminster  Stand- 
ards." Four  ministers  took  exception  to 
this  action,  and  withdrew  from  the  synod, 
two  of  them  returning  to  Scotland.  Later, 
other  ministers  came  over  from  Scotland, 
and  in  1854  a  new  synod  was  organized  by 
ten  ministers,  which  came  to  bear  the  name 
of  ^^The  Synod  of  Nova  Scotia  and  Prince 
Edward  Island  in  Connection  with  the 
Church  of  Scotland." 

As  has  already  been  stated,  **The  Free 
Church  of  I»Jew  Brunswick"  withdrew  from 

65 


1 

THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES 

*' The  Synod  of  New  Brunswick  in  Connection  m 
with  the  Church  of  Scotland,"  in  1845.  The 
main  body  of  the  synod,  however,  continued 
its  existence  until  1868,  when  a  union  was 
effected  with  '^The  Synod  of  Nova  Scotia 
and  Prince  Edward  Island  in  Connection  with 
the  Church  of  Scotland,"  the  united  church 
being  known  as  ''The  Synod  of  the  Presby- 
terian Church  of  the  Maritime  Provinces  of 
British  North  America  in  Connection  with 
the  Church  of  Scotland." 

THE  UNITED  CHURCH  OF  UPPER  CxiNADA 

It  now  becomes  necessary  to  go  back  to  the 
year  1818,  in  order  to  take  up  another  strand 
of  Canadian  Presbyterianism.  It  was  at 
this  date  that  "The  Presbytery  of  the  Can- 
adas"  was  constituted  with  ^ve  ministers. 
This  presbytery  grew  into  a  synod  in  1820; 
but  became  practically  dissolved  by  1825.  A 
reorganization  was  effected.  But  as  its 
membership  was  confined  to  the  upper  prov- 
ince, the  new  organization  was  called  "The 

06 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  CANADA 

United  Presbytery  of  Upper  Canada.'^ 
With  a  view  of  participating  in  *^the  Clergy 
Reserves/^  the  presbytery  was  converted  in- 
to ''The  United  Synod  of  Upper  Canada, '^ 
in  1831. 

In  1791  the  British  Parliament  passed  an 
act,  according  to  which  about  three  million 
three  hundred  thousand  acres  of  land  in  Can- 
ada were  reserved  ''for  the  support  and 
maintenance  of  a  Protestant  clergy.''  The 
revenue  from  these  lands  finally  constituted 
what  was  called  "the  Clergy  Reserves," 
which  led  to  the  action  of  the  presbytery  just 
cited. 

THE    CANADA   PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH 

In  the  same  year,  1831,  some  ministers  of 
the  Church  of  Scotland,  without  ecclesiastical 
affiliation  on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic,  were 
moved  by  the  same  motive,  viz.,  "the  Clergy 
Reserves,"  to  form  an  independent  organ- 
ization, which  bore  the  name  of  "The  Synod 

of  the  Presbyterian   Church  of  Canada  in 

67 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES 

Connection  with  the  Church  of  Scotland." 
This  synod,  at  its  organization,  had  the 
names  of  nineteen  ministers  on  its  roll,  di- 
vided into  three  presbyteries.  These  two 
last-named  churches  formed  a  union  in  1840. 
But  in  1844  the  effects  of  the  Scottish  disrup- 
tion led  a  score  or  more  of  the  ministers  of 
the  synod  to  constitute  ''The  Synod  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church  of  Canada,"  which  is 
also  known  as  ''The  Synod  of  the  Free 
Church  of  Canada."  This  latter  church 
maintained  an  independent  existence  until 
1861,  when  it  formed  a  union  with  "The 
Synod  of  the  United  Presbyterian  Church 
in  Canada."  This  latter  church  was  the 
outgrowth  of  "The  Missionary  Presbytery 
of  the  Canadas  in  Connection  with  the  United 
Associate  Synod  of  the  Secession  Church  in 
Scotland."  This  presbytery  was  organized 
in  1834.  In  1843  the  presbytery  was  consti- 
tuted into  "The  Missionary  Synod  of  Can- 
ada in  Connection  with  the  United  Associate 
Church  in  Scotland."     In  1847  the  name  was 

68 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  CANADA 

changed  to  ^'The  Synod  of  the  United  Pres- 
byterian Church  in  Canada/'  In  1861,  when 
the  union  was  entered  into  with  **The  Synod 
of  the  Free  Church  of  Canada/'  the  united 
church  was  called  ^'The  Synod  of  the  Can- 
ada Presbyterian  Church."  In  1870  this 
united  synod  was  erected  into  ^^The  General 
Assembly  of  the  Canada  Presbyterian 
Church. ' ' 

CHURCH   UNIONS, 

In  this  attempt  to  trace  the  various  ele- 
ments in  Canadian  Presbyterianism,  ten  sep- 
arate churches  have  been  named,  not  count- 
ing the  united  churches.  Six  unions  have 
been  mentioned,  as  follows:  (1)  The  union 
of  the  Burgher  and  the  Anti-Burgher 
churches,  in  1817;  (2)  the  union  of  '^The 
Synod  of  the  Free  Church  of  Nova  Scotia" 
with  '  ^  The  Synod  of  the  Presbyterian  Church 
of  Nova  Scotia"  in  1860;  (3)  the  union  of 
**The  Synod  of  New  Brunswick  Adhering  to 
the  Standards  of  the  AVestminster  Confes- 

69 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES 

sion"  with  '^The  Synod  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  of  the  Lower  Provinces  of  British 
North  America,"  in  1866;  (4)  the  union  of 
^ '  The  Synod  of  New  Brunswick  in  Connection 
with  the  Church  of  Scotland"  with  '^The 
Synod  of  Nova  Scotia  and  Prince  Edward 
Island  in  Connection  with  the  Church  of  Scot- 
land," in  1868;  (5)  the  union  of  ^^  The  United 
Synod  of  Upper  Canada"  with  ^'The  Synod 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  Canada  in  Con- 
nection with  the  Church  of.  Scotland,"  in 
1840;  and  (6)  what  is  generally  known  as 
^^The  Synod  of  the  Free  Church  of  Canada" 
with  ^ '  The  Synod  of  the  United  Presbyterian 
Church  in  Canada,"  in  1861. 

After  these  six  unions  had  been  effected 
there  were  four  Presbyterian  Churches  in 
Canada,  as  follows:  (1)  ^^The  Synod  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church  of  the  Maritime  Prov- 
inces of  British  North  America  in  Connection 
with  the  Church  of  Scotland,"  (2)  ^^The 
Synod  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  Can- 
ada in  Connection  with  the  Church  of  Scot- 

70 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  CANADA 

land,''  (3)  ^^Tlie  Synod  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  of  the  Lower  Provinces  of  British 
North  America"  and  (4)  ^'The  Synod  of  the 
Canada  Presbyterian  Church.''  This  last 
synod  was  changed  to  a  General  Assembly 
in  1870.  It  will  be  observed  that  the  first 
two  churches  mentioned  in  this  list  were  ^'in 
connection  with  the  Church  of  Scotland," 
while  the  last  two  named  were  not. 

THE  PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   CANADA 

The  most  glorious  union  of  all  took  place 
in  1875,  when  these  four  churches  united  as 
^'The  General  Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  in  Canada." 

Besides  this  great  Canadian  church  there 
are  in  Canada  two  small  organizations,  viz., 
^'The  Presbyterian  Church  in  Canada  in 
Connection  with  the  Church  of  Scotland"  and 
the  church  of  the  ^'Maritime  Provinces  in 
Connection  with  the  Church  of  Scotland." 


71 


I 


CHART  OF  CANADIAN  PRESBYTERIANISM 


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«.-.-i 

CHAPTER  IV 

THE   PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH    IN    AMERICA 
REFORMED   AND   PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCHES 

Many  of  the  early  immigrants  to  America 
were  disciples  of  Calvin  and  Knox.  Those 
from  the  Continent  of  Europe  were  known 
as  Eeformed,  while  those  from  the  British 
Isles  were  called  Presbyterians.  In  the  Ref- 
ormation, the  first  object  of  the  reformers 
was  to  reform  the  Catholic  Church,  of  which 
the}^  were  all  members,  of  its  errors  and 
abuses.  For  this  reason  they  were  called 
Reformed.  So  when  they  found  that  they 
were  not  able  to  reform  the  Catholic  Church 
and  had  to  leave  it,  they  were  still  called 
Reformed.  This  name  was  given  to  the  fol- 
lowers of  Calvin  and  Zwingli,  on  the  Conti- 
nent, while  those  who  adhered  to  Luther,  on 
the   doctrine    of   the   Lord's    Supper,   were 

75 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES 

called  Lutherans.  The  word  Presbyterian 
was  applied  to  the  followers  of  Calvin  and 
Knox  in  Scotland  and  England  and  subse- 
quently in  other  places. 

The  Eeformed  Churches  in  the  United 
States  of  America,  holding  the  Presbyterian 
system,  have  sprung  from  the  Reformed 
Churches  of  the  Continent  and  the  Presby- 
terian Churches  of  Great  Britain.  As  a  mat- 
ter of  convenience  these  churches  may  be  di- 
vided into  five  groups,  as  follows :  the  Amer- 
ican Churches,  the  Scotch  Churches,  the 
Dutch  Churches,  the  German  Churches,  and 
the  Welsh  Church.  This  outline  does  not 
undertake  to  deal  with  the  organization  and 
growth  of  local  congregations,  but  with  de- 
nominational life  as  exhibited  in  presbyterial 
and  higher  judicatories. 

I.    THE   AMERICAN    CHURCHES 

This  group  is  called  the  American 
Churches,  because  it  largely  discarded  for- 
eign   influences,    and    undertook    to    set   up 

76 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  AMERICA 

ecclesiastical  organizations  peculiar  to  the 
environment  of  the  New  World.  The  Pres- 
bytery of  Philadelphia  was  organized  in  1706. 
Its  growth  was  rapid.  By  1716  the  original 
presbytery  was  divided  into  four  presby- 
teries, and  the  Synod  of  Philadelphia  held 
its  first  meeting  in  1717.  In  1729  the  Adopt- 
ing Act  was  passed,  according  to  whose 
terms,  subscription  to  the  Westminster  Con- 
fession of  Faith  was  required.  Previous  to 
this  enactment,  the  synod  did  not  require 
subscription  to  any  creed;  but  in  order  to 
protect  itself  from  dangers  incident  to  immi- 
gration it  was  forced  formally  to  adopt  a 
Confession  of  Faith. 

OLD    SIDE    AND    NEW    SIDE 

Prof.  A.  C.  Zenos,  D.D.,  says  that,  as  the 
church  continued  to  grow,  ^^The  question  of 
the  kind  of  education  to  be  given  to  the  min- 
istry, combined  with  the  question  of  the 
status  of  revivalists  in  the  church  and  their 

relation  to  the  regular  ministry,  produced  a 

77 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES 

controversy/'  which  waxed  warmer  and 
warmer,  until  it  rent  asunder  the  synod,  in 
1741.  After  vain  efforts  to  reconcile  the  two 
parties,  known  as  Old  Side  and  New  Side, 
the  Synod  of  New  York  (New  Side)  was  or- 
ganized in  1745.  The  two  synods  continued 
their  separate  work,  the  New  York  Synod 
growing  much  faster,  until  1758,  when  a  un- 
ion was  effected,  the  united  body  being  called 
the  Synod  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia. 

A   NAME   CHOSEN 

Soon  after  it  became  apparent  that  the 
thirteen  colonies  would  constitute  a  nation, 
known  as  the  United  States  of  America,  the 
General  Synod,  in  1788,  determined  that  the 
church  should  be  called  ^^The  Presbyterian 
Church  in  the  United  States  of  America,'' 
and  it  has  been  known  by  this  name  ever 
since. 

THE   GENERAL   ASSEMBLY   ORGANIZED 

Notwithstanding  the  ravages  of  war,  the 

Synod  of  New  York  and  PhiladeliDhia  made 

78 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  AMERICA 

such  rapid  strides  that  it  was  found  neces- 
sary to  divide  the  body  into  four  synods, 
which  was  done  in  1788,  and  in  1789  the  first 
General  Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  in  the  United  States  of  America  con- 
vened, and  from  that  time  until  the  present, 
a  General  Assembly  has  met  every  year,  the 
last  one  being  held  in  Denver,  Colorado,  in 
May,  1909,  this  being  the  one  hundred  and 
twenty-first. 

THE    CUMBERLAND   PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH 

A  large  part  of  the  sturdy  settlers  in  the 
territory  now  comprising  the  states  of  Ken- 
tucky and  Tennessee  were  of  Presbyterian 
extraction.  It  was  in  this  section  of  the  coun- 
try that  the  Kevival  of  1800  produced  some 
of  its  marvelous  results.  As  controversy 
arose  in  the  East,  in  connection  with  the 
awakening  of  1740,  so  controversy  arose  in 
the  West,  in  connection  with  the  awakening 
of  1800.  As  the  former  resulted  in  the  or- 
ganization of  the   Synod  of  New  York,  in 

79 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES 

1745,  so  the  latter  resulted  in  the  establish- 
ment of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian 
Church,  in  1810.  The  growth  of  the  new 
church  was  very  rapid.  In  1813  its  first 
synod  was  constituted,  and  this  expanded 
into  a  General  Assembly  in  1829.  Before  the 
Civil  War  the  new  church  had  spread  well 
over  the  South  and  Southwest. 

THE  CUMBERLAND  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH   ( COLORED) 

In  1869  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  Gen- 
eral Assembly  met  at  Murfreesboro,  Tenn- 
essee. At  the  same  time  a  convention  of  the 
colored  ministers  of  the  church  was  in  ses- 
sion at  the  same  place.  This  convention 
adopted  a  paper,  which  was  presented  to  the 
General  Assembly,  in  which  the  Assembly 
was  requested  to  set  off  the  colored  members 
of  the  denomination  into  a  church  of  their 
own.  The  request  was  complied  with,  which 
brought  into  existence  the  Cumberland 
Presbyterian  Church,  Colored.  This  latter 
church,    under    discouraging    circumstances, 

80 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  AMERICA 

has  rendered  a  good  service  for  the  race  in 
whose  interest  it  was  created. 

OLD   SCHOOL   AND   NEW   SCHOOL 

In  1801  a  Plan  of  Union  (not  organic)  was 
adopted  by  the  Presbyterian  and  Congrega- 
tional Churches,  in  order  that  the  two  bodies 
might  cooperate  in  missionary  work.  Ac- 
cording to  the  Plan  of  Union  ^*  churches  of 
either  body  might  call  a  pastor  from  the 
other,  and  when  any  dispute  arose  the  appeal 
might  be  to  either  the  presbytery,  or  a  coun- 
cil chosen  from  both  bodies.  Presbyterian 
churches  might  be  represented  in  associa- 
tions by  ruling  elders,  and  Congregational 
churches  in  presbyteries  by  messengers 
chosen  in  church  meetings.'' 

This  provision  ^^  brought  into  the  Presby- 
terian Church  a  large  number  of  pastors  and 
churches  which  were  more  or  less  in  touch 
with  the  doctrinal  movements  of  New  Eng- 
land, and  thus  helped  to  impart  to  American 
Presbyterianism  that  dual  character  which 

81 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES 

resulted  in  the  division  of  1837."  The  two 
parties  which  stood  opposed  to  each  other 
were  known  as  ^^Old  SchooP'  and  ''New 
School."  The  differences  became  more  ac- 
centuated until  1837,  when  the  ''Old  School" 
party,  finding  itself  in  the  majority  in  the 
General  Assembly,  exscinded  four  synods, 
composed  mostly  of  "New  School"  men. 
The  "New  School"  party  formed  a  General 
Assembly,  the  following  year,  and  became 
known  as  "the  New  School  Presbyterian 
Church,"  but  in  fact  claimed  the  same  name 
which  the  other  body  held,  viz.:  "The  Pres- 
byterian Church  in  the  United  States  of 
America." 

THE   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   IN   THE  U.   S. 

Owing  to  the  agitation  of  the  question  of 
slavery,  six  synods,  in  the  South,  comprising 
twenty-one  presbyteries,  with  fifteen  thou- 
sand communicants,  withdrew  from  the  New 
\^<^^^  School  Assembly  in  18^,  and  constituted 
"the    United    Synod    of    the    Presbyterian 

82 


PEESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  AMERICA 

Church."  *^ During  the  summer  and  fall  of 
1861,  forty-seven  presbyteries  in  the  South  by 
formal,  official  action  severed  their  organic 
connection  with  the  General  Assembly  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United  States  of 
America,"  Old  School.  On  December  4, 
1861,  commissioners  from  these  presbyteries 
met  and  constituted  the  General  Assembly  of 
^'the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  Confederate 
States  of  America."  This  assembly,  at  its 
organization,  represented  about  seventy  thou- 
sand communicants,  and  took  with  it  two 
theological  seminaries.  ^^The  Presbyterian 
Church  in  the  Confederate  States  of  Amer- 
ica," in  1863,  effected  an  organic  union  with 
^'the  Independent  Presbyterian  Church,"  lo- 
cated in  the  Carolinas ;  and  in  1864  it  formed 
a  union  with  ' '  the  United  Synod  of  the  Pres- 
byterian Church,"  noted  above.  At  the  close 
of  the  Civil  War,  in  1865,  the  church  found  it 
expedient  to  change  its  name;  consequently 
the  title  of  ^^The  Presbyterian  Church  in  the 
Confederate  States  of  America"  gave  place 

83 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES 

to  the  name  of  '4he  Presbyterian  Church  in 
the  United  States.''  Since  the  change  of  the 
name,  the  chnrch  has  formed  unions  with  the 
following  bodies :  the  Presbytery  of  Patapsco, 
in  Maryland,  in  1867;  the  Alabama  Presby- 
tery of  the  Associate  Eeformed  Church,  in 
1867 ;  the  Synod  of  Kentucky,  which  was  the 
southern  wing  of  the  Old  School  Church  in 
the  state  of  that  name,  in  1868 ;  the  Associate 
Reformed  Presbytery  of  Kentucky,  in  1870; 
and  the  Synod  of  Missouri,  which  was  the 
southern  wing  of  the  Old  School  Church  in 
the  state  of  that  name,  in  1874.  The  seven 
bodies  with  which  unions  were  formed  by  the 
Southern  Assembly  represented  about  thirty- 
five  thousand  communicants,  which  partly  ac- 
counts for  the  rapid  growth  of  this  church  in 
the  first  fifteen  years  of  its  existence. 

UNION   OF   OLD   AND   NEW   SCHOOL 

In  1862  ^'a  friendly  interchange  of  com- 
missioners" was  arranged  between  the  Gen- 
eral Assemblies  of  the  Old  and  New  School 

84 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  AMERICA 

Churches.  This  led  to  an  organic  union.  In 
the  language  of  Charles  L.  Thompson,  D.D., 
''at  ten  o'clock  on  Friday  morning,  No- 
vember 12,  1869,  each  assembly  notified 
the  other  of  the  action  of  the  presbyteries. 
Each  body  formally  declared  the  basis  of  un- 
ion of  binding  force  and  voted  its  own  dis- 
solution, calling  the  united  assembly  to  meet 
in  the  First  Church  in  Philadelphia  in  1870. ' ' 
The  consummation  of  the  union  was  made 
the  occasion  for  ''an  expression  of  joy  that 
filled  all  hearts."  After  thirty-three  years 
of  division  the  church  was  most  happily 
united.  A  memorial  thanksgiving  fund  was 
called  for,  and  the  sum  of  $7,607,491  was 
secured  for  the  enlargement  of  the  work  of 
the  united  church.  The  union  has  been  a 
most  happy  one  for  all  concerned. 

The  church  was  now  well  organized  for 
the  achievement  of  its  mission  abroad,  and 
for  the  accomplishment  of  its  work  at  home. 
At  no  previous  time  did  it  give  better  prom- 
ise of  fulfilling  the  import  of  its  name. 

85 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES 

CREED   REVISION 

Believing  that  it  was  '  ^  desirable  to  express 
more  fully  the  doctrine  of  the  church  con- 
cerning the  Holy  Spirit,  missions,  and  the 
love  of  God  for  all  men, ' '  the  necessary  steps 
having  been  taken,  the  General  Assembly,  in 
1903,  declared  that  two  new  chapters 
(XXXIV,  '^Of  the  Holy  Spirit,''  and  XXXV, 
^^Of  the  Love  of  God  and  Missions")  are 
^'hereby  added  to  the  Confession  of  Faith." 
By  an  enactment  of  the  same  General  As- 
sembly the  Declaratory  Statement,  the  pres- 
byteries having  approved  it,  was  made  a  part 
of  the  Confession  of  Faith  of  the  church, 
which  is  as  follows: 

DECLARATORY   STATEMENT 

While  the  ordination  vow  of  ministers,  ruling 
elders,  and  deacons,  as  set  forth  in  the  Form  of 
Government,  requires  the  reception  and  adoption 
of  the  Confession  of  Faith  only  as  containing  the 
System  of  Doctrine  taught  in  the  Holy  Scriptures, 
nevertheless,  seeing  that  the  desire  has  been  form- 

86 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  AMERICA 

ally  expressed  for  a  disavowal  by  the  church  of 
certain  inferences  drawn  from  statements  in  the 
Confession  of  Faith,  and  also  for  a  declaration  of 
certain  aspects  of  revealed  truth  which  appear  at 
the  present  time  to  call  for  more  explicit  statement, 
therefore  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United 
States  of  America  does  authoritatively  declare  as 
follows : 

First,  With  reference  to  Chapter  III  of  the 
Confession  of  Faith:  that  concerning  those  who 
are  saved  in  Christ,  the  doctrine  of  God's  eternal 
decree  is  held  in  harmony  with  the  doctrine  of 
his  love  to  all  mankind,  his  gift  of  his  Son  to  be 
the  propitiation  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world, 
and  his  readiness  to  bestow  his  saving  grace  on  all 
who  seek  it.  That  concerning  those  who  perish, 
the  doctrine  of  God's  eternal  decree  is  held  in  har- 
mony with  the  doctrine  that  God  desires  not  the 
death  of  any  sinner,  but  has  provided  in  Christ 
a  salvation  sufficient  for  all,  adapted  to  all,  and 
freely  offered  in  the  gospel  to  all;  that  men  are 
fully  responsible  for  their  treatment  of  God's  gra- 
cious offer;  that  his  decree  hinders  no  man  from 
accepting  that  offer ;  and  that  no  man  is  condemned 
except  on  the  ground  of  his  sin. 

Second,  With  reference  to  Chapter  X,  Section 
3,  of  the  Confession  of  Faith,  that  it  is  not  to  be 
regarded  as  teaching  that  any  who  die  in  infancy 
are  lost.    'We  believe  that   all  dying  in  infancy 

87 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES 

are  included  in  the  election  of  grace,  and  are  re- 
generated and  saved  by  Christ  through  the  Spirit, 
who  works  when  and  where  and  how  he  pleases. 

UNION    OF    PRESBYTERIAN    AND    C.    P.    CHURCHES 

The  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United 
States  of  America  completed  the  revision  of 
the  Confession  of  Faith,  in  1903,  at  which 
time  committees  were  appointed  by  the  As- 
semblies of  this  church  and  the  Cumberland 
Presbyterian  Church,  for  the  purpose  of  ne- 
gotiating a  basis  of  reunion  and  union  be- 
tween the  two  churches.  A  basis  was  agreed 
upon,  and  was  duly  approved  and  adopted  by 
the  two  churches,  according  to  the  provisions 
of  their  organic  laws;  and  the  reunion  and 
union  was  declared  consummated,  on  May 
24,  1906,  '^on  the  doctrinal  basis  of  the  Con- 
fession of  Faith  of  the  Presbyterian  Church 
in  the  United  States  of  America,  as  revised 
in  1903,  and  of  its  other  doctrinal  and  eccle- 
siastical standards."  Thus  after  a  separa- 
tion of  ninety-six  years   the  two   churches 

88 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  AMERICA 

were  again  united  and  on  a  basis  which  was 
'' honoring  alike  to  both." 

A  part  of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian 
Church  repudiated  the  action  of  their  church 
courts,  and  refused  to  enter  the  reunited 
church.  At  the  time  the  organic  union  was 
consummated  the  Presbyterian  Church  had 
1,158,662  resident  members,  all  of  whom  con- 
curred in  the  union;  while  the  Cumberland 
Presbyterian  Church  had  145,411  resident 
members,  about  55,000  of  whom  refused  to 
acquiesce  in  the  union,  and  undertook  to 
perpetuate  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian 
Church. 

II.    THE   SCOTTISH   CHURCHES 

The  Eeformed  Presbyterians  are  eccle- 
siastically descended  from  the  Cameronians, 
or  Reformed  Presbyterians  of  Scotland,  also 
called  Covenanters.  The  first  presbytery 
was  organized  in  Scotland  in  1743.  During 
the  persecution  in   Scotland  many  families 

89 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES 

of  the  Covenanters  fled  to  Ireland.  As  early 
as  1720  some  of  these  families  emigrated 
from  Ireland  to  America.  Other  Covenant- 
ers followed,  and  in  this  way  the  Covenant- 
ing or  Eeformed  Presbyterian  Church  was 
established  in  America.  The  presbytery  in 
Scotland  took  all  the  interest  it  could  in  its 
adherents  in  America,  and  in  1774  the  Ee- 
formed Presbytery  of  America  was  consti- 
tuted. 

THE  ASSOCIATE,  OR  SECESSION,  CHURCH 

In  1733  the  Associate  Presbytery  was 
formed  in  Scotland,  by  Ebenezer  Erskine 
and  three  other  ministers  who  withdrew  from 
the  Established  Church.  The  Associate 
body  in  Scotland,  in  1747,  divided  into 
Burghers  and  Anti-Burghers.  In  the  mean- 
time Scotchmen,  who  were  in  sympathy  with 
the  Associate  movement  in  their  native  land, 
reached  America.  They  were,  however, 
without  a  minister.  As  early  as  1742  they 
sent  a  petition  to  the  Associate  Presbytery 

90 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  AMERICA 

in  the  home  land  for  a  minister  or  a  proba- 
tioner. But  at  that  time  no  one  could  be 
sent  to  their  relief.  About  1750  the  peti- 
tion was  renewed,  being  made  to  the  Anti- 
Burgher  Synod,  which  had  come  into  exist- 
ence since  the  first  request  had  been  made. 
Two  ministers  were  sent  to  their  aid,  and  in 
1753  they  organized  the  Associate  Presby- 
tery of  Pennsylvania,  under  the  jurisdiction 
of  the  Anti-Burgher  Synod  of  Scotland. 
The  increase  of  ministers,  and  their  geo- 
graphical locations,  led  to  the  erection  of 
the  Associate  Presbytery  of  New  York,  in 
1776,  ^^  coordinate  with  the  Presbytery  .of 
Pennsylvania,  and  subordinate  to  the  Synod 
of  Scotland."  The  Burgher  controversy 
from  the  old  country  was  handled  with  great 
moderation.  It  was  not  permitted  to  divide 
the  forces  in  America. 

UNION  OF  ASSOCIATE  AND  REFORMED  PRESBYTERIAN 
CHURCHES 

In   1782   the   two   Associate   Presbyteries 
joined   with    the    Reformed    Presbytery    of 

91 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES 

America  in  an  organic  union  to  form  ^Hhe 
Synod  of  the  Associate  Eeformed  Churcli." 
Every  minister  and  fully  organized  con- 
gregation of  the  Eeformed  Presbytery  went 
into  the  union.  ^^Most  of  the  isolated  so- 
cieties which  were  not  under  direct  pastoral 
influence  took  no  part  in  this  union,  but  went 
on  as  before,  and  wrote  to  the  fatherland 
for  a  supply  of  ministers."  The  Reformed 
Presbytery  in  Scotland  complied  with  the 
request,  and  in  1798,  the  Reformed  Presby- 
tery of  America  was  organized  anew.  This 
presbytery  expanded  into  a  synod  in  1809. 

DIVISION    IN   THE    REFORMED    PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH 

In  1833  the  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church 
divided  on  the  question  as  to  what  the  atti- 
tude of  the  church  should  be  toward  the  Con- 
stitution of  the  United  States,  since  it  does 
not  in  express  terms  acknowledge  God,  or 
tender  homage  to  Christ.  One  party,  known 
as  ^^New  Lights, '*  bears  the  legal  name  of 
^^the  General  Synod  of  the  Reformed  Pres- 

92 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  AMERICA 

byterian  Church  in  America";  while  the 
other  party,  known  as  the  ^^Old  Lights," 
takes  the  name  of  'Hhe  Synod  of  the  Ee- 
formed  Church  in  North  America."  In 
1840,  the  Covenanted  Eeformed  Church  was 
organized  by  two  ministers  and  three  elders 
who  withdrew  from  the  synod,  or  branch 
known  as  the  ^^Old  Lights,"  on  the  ground, 
as  they  claimed,  that  the  latter  ^^ maintained 
sinful  ecclesiastical  relations  and  patronized 
or  indorsed  moral  reform  societies  with 
which  persons  of  any  religion  or  no  re- 
ligion were  connected."  The  combined 
strength  of  the  Eeformed  bodies  is  about 
fifteen  thousand  communicants. 

ASSOCIATE   MINORITY 

But  there  was  also  a  dissenting  minority 
in  the  Associate  Presbytery  of  Pennsylvania, 
which  refused  to  recognize  the  terms  of 
union  of  1782,  by  means  of  which  the  synod 
of  the  Associate  Eeformed  Church  was  con- 
stituted.   The  minority  decided  to  file  a  pro- 

93 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES 

test  against  the  action  of  the  presbytery  in 
favor  of  union,  which  contained  an  appeal 
to  the  synod  in  Scotland.  But  as  the  Asso- 
ciate Presbytery  of  Pennsylvania  no  longer 
acknowledged  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Scotch 
judicatory,  the  protest  could  not  be  admitted. 
^'The  protestors  then  withdrew,  and  elected 
a  new  moderator  and  clerk,  and  claimed  to 
be  the  true  and  original  Associate  Presby- 
tery of  Pennsylvania,  on  the  ground  of  their 
loyalty  to  the  faith  and  discipline  of  the 
Associate  Church."  The  Scottish  Synod 
heard  the  appeal,  and  sent  missionaries  to 
aid  them.  In  1798  the  Associate  Presbytery 
of  Kentucky  was  organized,  coordinate  with 
the  Associate  Presbytery  of  Pennsylvania, 
and  subordinate  to  the  Scotch  judicatory. 
The  two  presbyteries  cooperated  in  the  or- 
ganization of  a  synod  in  1801,  which  re- 
mained in  close  relation  with  the  Scotch 
body,  until  1852,  when  the  Scotch  judicatory 
entered  a  union,  which  discontinued  the  re- 
lation with  the  American  presbyteries. 

94 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  AMERICA 

In  1841  a  schism  was  produced  which  re- 
sulted in  the  organization  of  an  Independent 
Synod,  which  maintained  a  separate  exist- 
ence until  1854,  when  the  two  synods  united. 
^'The  controversy  involved  some  important 
principles  in  church  government,  and  sub- 
mission to  lawful  authority,  even  though 
not  lovingly  administered." 

In  1851  the  Keformed  Dissenting  Presby- 
tery, which  had  withdrawn  from  the  Asso- 
ciate Eeformed  Synod,  in  1801,  as  noted  in 
the  following  paragraph,  formed  a  union 
with  the  Associate  Synod.  The  Associate 
Synod  was  a  party  to  a  union  in  1858,  which 
will  receive  further  notice. 

THE   ASSOCIATE    REFORMED    CHURCH 

It  is  now  in  order  to  trace  the  history  of 
the  synod  of  the  Associate  Keformed  Church, 
which  was  constituted  in  1782,  by  the  union 
of  the  Reformed  Presbytery  of  America  with 
the  two  coordinate  Associate  Presbyteries. 
Years  were  spent  in  formulating  the  stand- 

95 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES 

ards  of  the  church.  In  1799  the  synod  ^^ju- 
dicially ratified''  the  standards,  as  agreed 
upon;  but  in  so  doing  it  modified  the  West- 
minster Confession  of  Faith  ^^  concerning  the 
power  of  the  civil  magistrate  in  matters  of 
religion.''  Against  this  action  a  few  min- 
isters entered  their  protest,  and  withdrew 
and  constituted  the  Eeformed  Dissenting 
Presbytery,  referred  to  in  the  preceding 
A  paragraph.  In  1802  the  church  was  divided 
,^?^ru#  ^^^^  ^^^^'  synods,  and  a  General  Synod  was 
erected.  But  the  church  seems  to  have  been 
wanting  in  cohesive  force.  Among  the 
causes  assigned  for  this  condition  of  things 
were  ^^the  development  of  the  several  synods 
on  diverting  lines,  owing  to  geographical 
separation,"  the  ^^ psalmody  controversies," 
and  ^^ unpleasant  cases  of  discipline,"  to- 
gether with  ^^considerable  jealousy,"  and 
possibly  ^*a  little  lordly  dominion."  The 
result  was  that  the  Synod  of  Scioto,  in  1820, 
constituted  itself  into  an  independent  judi- 
catory, under  the  title  of  the  Associate  Ee- 

96 


^^ 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  AMERICA 

formed  Synod  of  the  West ;  in  1821  the  Synod 
of  the  Carolinas  became  independent,  and  is 
now  known  as  the  Associate  Reform  Synod  ed^ 
of  the  South.  In  1822,  three  of  the  remain- 
ing presbyteries  united  with  the  General  As- 
sembly of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the 
United  States  of  America.  This  left  the 
Synod  of  New  York  practically  alone  to  main- 
tain the  perpetuity  of  the  original  Associate 
Reformed  Church.  In  1855  the  Associate 
Reformed  Synod  of  New  York  and  the  Gen- 
eral Synod  of  the  Associate  Reformed 
Church,  which  was  the  outgrowth,  in  1839, 
of  the  Associate  Reformed  Synod  of  the 
West,  formed  a  union  under  the  name  of 
the  General  Synod  of  the  Associate  Re- 
formed Church. 

THE  UNITED  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH 

In  1858  the  General  Synod  of  the  Asso- 
ciate Reformed  Church  and  the  Synod  of  the 
Associate  Church  formed  an  organic  union, 
under  the  4itle  of  the  General  Assembly  of 

97 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES 

the  United  Presbyterian  Clmrch  of  North 
America.  The  basis  of  the  union  was  the 
Westminster  Confession  of  Faith,  ^'with  a 
modification  in  reference  to  the  power  of  the 
civil  magistrate  circa  sacra,  so  as  to  free  it 
from  all  Erastianism,  the  Catechisms,  the 
Larger  and  Shorter,  and  a  Judicial  Testi- 
mony." The  United  Presbyterian  Church 
has  become  one  of  the  strong,  vital  forces  in 
the  religious  life  of  the  country. 

When  the  organic  union  was  formed  in 
1858  between  the  General  Synod  of  the  Ee- 
formed  Presbyterian  Church  and  the  Synod 
of  the  Associate  Church,  some  in  the  latter 
church  protested  against  the  union,  and  re- 
solved to  maintain  the  old  landmarks.  The 
result,  after  nearly  fifty  years  of  effort,  is 
the  Associate  Church  of  North  America, 
which  is  very  small. 

III.    THE  DUTCH  CHURCHES 

Motley  ^s  graphic  story  of  the  rise  of  the 
Dutch  Kepublic  has   popularized  the  traits 

98 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  AMERICA 

of  a  noble  people.  A  race  which  could  win 
its  independence  against  such  great  odds 
would  be  expected  to  impress  mankind  with 
the  arts  of  trade,  education  and  religion,  as 
well  as  that  of  war.  These  people  attained 
their  greatest  national  prosperity  about  the 
middle  of  the  seventeenth  century.  The 
Eeformation  of  the  sixteenth  century  com- 
pletely revolutionized  Holland  in  an  eccle- 
siastical sense.  The  Dutch  accepted  the 
teachings  of  Calvin  rather  than  those  of 
Luther.  It  was  at  Dort  that  the  first  ecu- 
menical conference  of  Protestantism  was 
held,  in  1618-19. 

SETTLEMENT    IN    NEW   YORK 

In  1609  Henry  Hudson,  in  the  service  of 
the  Dutch,  sailed  up  the  Hudson  River. 
Trading  posts  were  soon  established  on  Man- 
hattan Island  and  up  the  Hudson  River. 
The  Dutch  West  India  Company,  chartered 
in  1621,  planted  permanent  colonies.  Henry 
William  Elson  says:  ^'No  people  in  America 

99 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES 

presented  a  more  attractive  picture  of  quiet, 
pastoral  contentment,  of  unruffled  satisfac- 
tion in  life,  of  thrift  and  plenty,  than  the 
Dutch  rural  population  of  New  York.  Thus 
these  people  continued  their  rustic  life,  main- 
taining their  customs  and  language  for 
nearly  two  centuries;  but  after  the  Eevolu- 
tion  they  were  forced  to  yield  to  the  ever- 
increasing  tide  of  the  English  race  until 
they  gradually  lost  their  identity  and  their 
language." 

These  Dutch  settlers  established  in  their 
midst  the  Eeformed  Church,  to  which  they 
were  devoutly  attached.  E.  T.  Corwin, 
D.D.,  says:  ^'For  more  than  half  a  century 
the  Dutch  Church  was  the  only  church  on 
Manhattan  Island  and  along  the  Hudson." 

Until  1747  the  history  of  this  church  is  con- 
fined to  the  local  congregations,  which  rec- 
ognized an  ecclesiastical  authority  across  the 
Atlantic.  Interesting  as  it  is,  this  period  of 
history  must  be  passed  over.  The  legal 
name  of  the  organization  which  is  now  under 

100 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  AMERICA 

consideration  is  "the  Reformed  Church  in 
America."  This  name  was  taken  in  1867, 
in  lieu  of  "the  Reformed  Dutch  Church"; 
but  the  word  "Dutch"  is  yet  used  in  common 
parlance  in  order  that  this  church  may  be 
distinguished  from  other  churches  which 
have  in  their  names  the  word  "Reformed." 

THE    COETUS 

The  first  organization,  which  was  called 
the  Coetus,  was  formed  on  September  14, 
1747.  It  had  very  little  ecclesiastical  power, 
being  subordinated  to  the  Classis  of  Amster- 
dam. While  it  was  stipulated  that  all  min- 
isters settling  in  the  colony  should  belong  to 
the  Coetus,  yet  the  Classis  left  no  room  for 
doubt  that  it  reserved  to  itself  the  right  to 
examine  and  ordain  men  to  the  ministry. 
This  course  compelled  the  Coetus  to  send 
every  candidate  for  ordination  across  the 
ocean.  Such  exactions  were  nothing  less 
than  unreasonable  hardships,  which  materi- 
ally stood  in  the  way  of  the  growth  of  the 
church. 

101 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES 

THE   CONFERENTIE 

But  the  church  was  to  experience  a  further 
hindrance  in  its  work.  In  1755  a  small  num- 
ber of  members  of  the  Coetus  ^*  seceded  from 
that  body,''  and  established  what  they  called 
a  Conferentie.  T.  C.  Corwin,  D.D.,  says 
that  ^  *  several  ineffectual  attempts  were  made 
to  unite  the  parties,  but  the  Conferen- 
tie were  unwilling  that  the  majority  should 
rule.  Churches  and  even  families  were  di- 
vided, and  religion  was  disgraced."  But  at 
length,  in  1771,  the  two  parties  were  united. 
According  to  the  terms  of  the  union  ^'one 
general  body  and  five  particular  bodies  were 
to  be  organized,  which  were  to  meet  annu- 
ally. This  general  body  was  to  assume  the 
long-desired  privilege  of  licensing  and  or- 
daining men  to  the  ministry'';  but  still  a  cer- 
tain bond  of  union  was  acknowledged  with 
the  church  in  Holland,  until  the  close  of  the 
Eevolution,  when  independent  action  was 
taken,  and  the  mother  church  notified.    The 

102 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  AMERICA 

bond  of  union  was  finally  and  fully  severed 
by  the  adoption  of  the  American  Constitu- 
tion in  1792,  and  the  organization  of  a  Gen- 
eral Synod,  whose  first  meeting  was  in  1794. 
Kevisions  of  the  constitution  were  made  in 
1833  and  1874. 

*^The  standards  of  doctrine  have  remained 
unaltered,  and  consist  of  the  Belgic  Confes- 
sion, the  Heidelberg  Catechism,  with  the 
Compendium  of  the  same,  and  the  Canons 
of  the  Synod  of  Dort.'^ 

DIVISIONS   AND   UNIONS 

In  1822  l^ve  ministers  seceded  from  the 
Dutch  Reformed  Church,  and  constituted  the 
True  Reformed  Dutch  Church.  The  reason 
assigned  for  this  action  was  that  the  mother 
church  was  tolerating  looseness  in  doctrine 
and  discipline. 

In  1835  a  separation  from  the  state  church 
in  Holland  occurred,  because  of  dissatisfac- 
tion which  had  arisen  on  account  of  differ- 
ences in  ,views  on  doctrine  and  polity.    In 

103 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES 

1846  representatives  of  the  Holland  seces- 
sion organized  in  the  United  States  the 
Christian  Eeformed  Church.  In  1882  this 
church  absorbed  some  of  the  membership  of 
the  True  Reformed  Dutch  Church,  and  in 
1889  most  of  the  remnant  followed  their 
brethren  into  the  new  organization. 

IV.    THE   GERMAN    CHURCHES 

Like  the  Dutch,  the  German  Church  in  this 
country  for  a  time  used  a  word  to  indicate 
its  national  extraction;  but  dropped  the 
word  ^^ German''  from  its  title  in  1869.  So 
both  churches  have  discontinued  the  use  of 
the  foreign  patrial  adjective.  The  church 
which  is  now  under  consideration  is  styled 
*4he  Reformed  Church  in  the  United 
States,"  though  the  word  ^'German"  is  fre- 
quently used  in  speaking  of  it,  for  the  same 
reason  that  the  word  ^' Dutch"  is  used  in 
speaking  of  ^^the  Reformed  Church  in  Amer- 
ica." 


104 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  AMERICA 

THE   REFORMED   CHURCH   IN   GERMANY 

Ulric  Zwingli,  who  was  born  in  1484,  is 
regarded  as  the  founder,  and  John  Calvin, 
who  was  born  in  1509,  as  the  organizer  of  the 
Reformed  Church  in  Germany. 

Toward  the  close  of  the  seventeenth  cen- 
tury those  of  the  Reformed  faith  in  the 
Palatinate  were  subjected  to  the  most  shame- 
ful and  severe  persecutions.  This  led  many 
in  their  impoverished  condition  to  seek  free- 
dom in  America.  By  1731  there  were  thirty 
thousand  Grermans,  of  whom  fifteen  thousand 
were  of  the  Reformed  faith,  in  Pennsylvania. 
The  Germans  were  also  represented  in  other 
colonies.  ^^At  first  they  had  no  regular  pas- 
tors but  sometimes  would  employ  a  pious 
schoolmaster  who  would  read  sermons  to 
them  or  they  would  appoint  one  of  their  own 
number  to  hold  such  a  service,  and  thus  they 
would  worship  God  as  best  they  could.''  But 
as  time  passed  by  they  became  better  sup- 
plied with  ministers,  and  gave  attention  to 
the  organization  of  churches. 

105 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES 

THE   COETUS    IN   AMERICA 

By  authority  of  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam, 
a  Coetus  was  organized  on  September  29, 
1747,  just  fifteen  days  after  the  Coetus  in 
the  Dutch  Church  was  organized,  and 
through  the  same  authority.  James  I.  Good, 
D.D.,  says:  ^^The  word  Coetus  is  taken 
from  the  organization  of  John  a'Lasco,  who 
first  organized  the  ministers  at  Emden  in 
northwestern  Germany  into  a  Coetus  in  1544. 
It  was  a  synod  with  limited  powers.''  But 
the  German  Church  in  America  could  not 
permanently  remain  subject  to  foreign  juris- 
diction in  Holland;  and  yet  the  church  in 
Holland  deserves  great  credit  for  the  assist- 
ance rendered  to  the  Eeformed  German 
Church.  Without  the  aid  so  extended  it  is 
doubtful  whether  the  German  Church  would 
have  been  able  to  survive  in  the  New  World. 

ANEW   CONSTITUTION 

In  1793  the  church  adopted  a  new  consti- 
tution,  having  declared  their  independence 

106 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  AMERICA 

of  the  foreign  judicatory.     The  first  synod 
of  the  church  met  the  same  year. 

THE   FREE   SYNOD 

In  1820  a  resolution  was  passed  by  the 
synod  looking  to  the  establishment  of  a  theo- 
logical seminary,  but  the  action  of  the  synod 
was  not  everywhere  received  with  favor. 
This  together  with  other  frictions  led  to  the 
establishment  by  ministers,  who  withdrew 
from  the  synod,  in  1822,  of  *Hhe  Free 
Synod."  It  is  claimed  that  the  tendency  of 
those  who  led  the  secession  movement  was 
at  first  in  the  direction  of  Congregationalism. 
But  time  demonstrated  the  mistake  of  the 
constitution  of  the  Free  Synod,  and  it  re- 
turned in  a  body  to  the  parent  organization 
in  1837. 

In  1824,  owing  to  a  difference  of  views 
about  administration,  a  Classis  in  Ohio  with- 
drew from  the  jurisdiction  of  the  synod,  and 
constituted  itself  into  the  Evangelical  Re- 
formed Synod  of  Ohio,  which  was  popularly 

107 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES 

known  as  the  Western  Synod.  In  1842  the 
two  synods  agreed  on  a  modus  vivendi,  and 
the  Western  Synod  adopted  the  constitution 
of  the  Eastern.  A  plan  of  correspondence 
by  delegates  was  agreed  upon.  In  1846  some 
German  ministers,  discarding  the  authority 
of  the  Western  Synod,  organized  the  Ger- 
man Independent  Synod,  but  in  1852  it  was 
absorbed  by  the  Western  Synod.  In  1863 
the  Eastern  and  Western  Synods  formed  a 
union,  by  subordinating  themselves  to  ^^the 
General  Synod  of  the  Keformed  Church  in 
the  United  States,"  which  was  constituted 
the  same  year,  and  still  remains  the  supreme 
judicatory  of  the  church.  The  creed  of  the 
church  is  the  Heidelberg  Catechism. 

V.   THE  WELSH   CHURCH 

The  first  Welsh  Calvinistic  Methodist  con- 
gregation was  organized  in  this  country  in 
1826.  The  first  presbytery  was  constituted 
in  1828.  As  the  name  indicates,  the  Ameri- 
can branch  is  a  lineal  descendant  from  the 

108 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  AMERICA 

church  of  the  same  name  in  Wales,  which 
had  its  origin  independent  of,  and  prior  to, 
that  of  English  Methodism,  with  which  it  is 
sometimes  confused. 

The  doctrines  of  the  Confession  of  Faith 
of  this  church  are  in  substantial  harmony 
with  the  doctrines  of  the  Westminster  Con- 
fession of  Faith.  The  polity  of  the  church 
is  practically  Presbyterian.  Its  General  As- 
sembly, which  was  constituted  in  1870,  meets 
triennially. 


109 


APPENDIX. 

STATISTICS  * 

SCOTLAND 

The  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church  of  Scotland..  1,040 

The  United  Original  Secession  Church 3,000 

The  United  Free  Church  of  Scotland 506,088 

The  Free  Church  of  Scotland 10,000 

The  Free  Presbyterian  Church 3,000 

The  Church   (Established)   of  Scotland.  .........  700,653 

IRELAND 

The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Ireland 106,516 

The  Original  Secession  Church 1,230 

The  Eastern  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church 

The  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church 3,852 

The  Associate  Presbyterian  Church 

CANADA 

The  Presbyterian  Church  in  Canada 269,688 

The  Church  of  Scotland  in  Canada 10,000 

THE  UNITED  STATES 

The  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  U.  S.  A 1,321,386 

The  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  U.  S 279,803 

The   Cumberland  Church,    including  non-residents  72,500 

The  Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church  Colored...  20,000 
The    Reformed    Presbyterian    Church    in    North 

America  and  Canada 700 

The     Reformed     Presbyterian     Church     (General 

Synod) 3,500 

*  There   are  about   5,400,00u   communicants  in   the  Presbyterian 
Churches  of   the   world,    and   about    30,000,000    adherents. 

110 


APPENDIX 

The  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church    (Synod)  ....  9,503 

The  Covenanted  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church..  17 

The  Associate  Reformed  Synod  of  the  South....  14,036 

The  United  Presbyterian  Church 100,803 

The  Associate  Church  of  North  America 786 

The  Reformed   (Dutch)   Church  in  America 116,174 

The  Christian  Reformed  Church 

The  Reformed   (German)   Church  in  the  U.  S 293,000 

The  Welsh    (Calvinistic  Methodist)    Presbyterian 

Church   14,500 


111 


INDEX 

CANADA:  ^^^^ 

Canada  Presbyterian  Church 67 

Church  of  New  Brunswick 63 

Church  of  N.  S.  and  P.  E.  1 65 

Church  unions 69 

Free  Church  of  Nova  Scotia 61 

Presbyterian  Church  in  Canada 71 

Presbyterian  Church  of  Nova  Scotia 61 

Presbytery  of  Pictou   (Anti-Burgher) 60 

Presbytery  of  Truro   ( Burgher ) 60 

Union  of  Presbyteries  of  Pictou  and  Truro 60 

IRELAND: 

Associate  Presbytery 52 

Associate,  or  Secession,  Church 47 

Beginning  of  modern  history  in 39 

Immigration  ( Protestant )  to 40 

Insurrection    in 42 

Original   Secession  Church 49 

Presbyterian  Church  of 50 

Presbyterians  in  the  Establishment 41 

Presbytery  of  Antrim 44 

Presbytery  of  Ulster 43 

Reformed,  or  Covenanting,  Church 51 

Remonstrant    Synod   of   Ulster 40 

Ulster  opened  for  settlement 40 

SCOTLAND: 

Amyraut's   via   media 12 

Associate   Presbytery 15 

Burgher  and  Anti-Burgher 18 

"  Cameronians,"    the 11 

Conf essiop  of  Faith  drafted 5 

113 


INDEX 


PAGE 

"  Congregation,"    the 4 

Covenant,   the   First 4 

Covenant,   the   Second 5 

"  Covenanters,"    the 11 

Crowns,  union  of  Scottish  and  English 8 

Declaratory  Act  of  the  Free  Church 21) 

Declaratory  Act  of  the  United  Presbyterian  Cliurch  21 

Divisions   in   churches 34 

Francis    II 5 

Free   Church,  the 27 

French    invasion 5 

French  invasion  repelled  .by  Elizabeth 5 

Hamilton,    Patrick 3 

Independence  of,  recognized  by  England 2 

James  V 4 

James  VI    ( I  of  England) 8 

Knox,    John 5 

"  Lords  of  the  Congregation  " 4 

Mary  of  Guise 4 

Mary  Queen  of  Scots 4 

National    Covenant,    the 8 

Parliament,  union  of  the  Scottish  and  English.  ...  1(3 

Patronage,  la}^ 7,  14,  27 

Presbyterianism  established () 

Reformed    Presbvterians 11 

Relief    Church .  ." 25 

Solemn  League  and  Covenant,  the 8 

Type    of    Reformation    in 3 

Union  of  Free  and  United  Presbyterian  Churches  33 

Unions  of  churches  in 35 

United   Presbyterian   Church 19 

Westminster    Assembly 9 

Westminster  Confession   of  Faith  framed 9 

William  III  and  Mary 10 

Wishard,  George 3 

THE  UNITED  STATES : 

Adopting  Act 77 

Associate  Reformed  Church 05 

Associate,  or   Secession,   Church 90 

Creed  revision 86 

114 


INDEX 


PAGE 

Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church 79 

Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church    (colored) 80 

Declaratory    Statement 8(i 

General    Assembly    (Presbyterian)    organized 78 

Name   chosen 78 

Old  School  and  New  School 81 

Old  School  and  New  School,  union  of 84 

Old  Side  and  New  Side 77 

Presbyterian  Church  in  the  U.  S 82 

Reformed   Presbyterian   Church   divides 92 

Reformed   (Dutch)   Church  in  America 101 

Reformed  (German)  Church  in  the  U.  S 104 

Statistics 110 

Synod  of  New  York  organized 78 

Synod  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia 78 

Synod  of  Philadelphia  organized 77 

Union    of    Associate    and    Reformed    Presbyterian 

Churches    91 

Union  of  the  Presbyterian  and  C.  P.  Churches.  ...  88 

United   Presbyterian   Church 97 

Welsh   Church 108 


CHART  OF  AMERICAN  PRESBYTER  IAN  ISM 


;ehican  churches 


fy^>^frj.:i^'lt"°^-|y    "T*'""      ^     ^""^'^  '^rgJj'/.tP'^    P".l...l',.-,^ 


SCOTCH       CHURCHES 


DUTCH         CHURCHi 


T^Trtrcftr^"*'""'"  *'-''■•     a   B  R  M   AN  CHURCHE 


,^f===f^^a:L. 


"WELSH         CHURCK 


Princeton  Theological  Seminary-Speer  Library 
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIMir  ~    ~ 


1    1012  01057  4251 


